While The Patch Is Breaking And Shaking Around You!

Wow! What a turbulent time to be involved in the oil and gas industry!

Never before has a casual greeting like, “How’s it going?” been met with such tumultuous responses across the entire spectrum. It’s getting to the point where you’re almost afraid to ask the question for fear of getting into a prolonged, and yes, sometimes depressing, “Sorry to hear that,” discussion over someone’s personal circumstance or the plight of the company they’ve worked so hard to grow and flourish for so many years.

Everything is being cut! You know the drill, and I don’t have to repeat it here. You would have to be living under a rock not to have heard and understand the direct toll low commodity prices are having in the patch. But, is everyone listening? And, beyond the boundaries of the patch, do most people care? You have to give your head a shake when the new NDP government in Alberta is still making overtures about growing their piece of the pie. The goose is fresh out of golden eggs right now, so we’re all hoping and advocating the outcome of the royalty review will focus squarely on incentives to encourage more drilling and job creation in this low price environment rather than just a quick, and potentially disastrous, grab for more cash. Let’s get all of these people back to work first and shore up those balance sheets and income statements rather than just asking (or legislating), “Please sir! I want some more!”

We are also now experiencing the trickledown effect this new reality is having on our economy here at home, across Canada, into the United States, and, yes, even into the OPEC countries. They too are pulling on their world monetary reserves to shore up the shortfall in each of their own economies after having lost the luxuries higher oil prices have afforded them over the years. At least some of them are very fortunate to have the reserves to do so, while others are pulling on the same heart strings, cheque books, and bankers we are here in Canada.

Stayin’ Alive!

Some have hit the canvas and don’t have the legs to get back up. This is truly unfortunate, and hopefully, these professionals and companies will be back at some juncture to fight another day. And yet, in many corners of the industry, the battle rages on by those who are undeterred by the doom and gloom pundits. Those entities that have the financial means, customers, and projects to make the best out of a real shitty situation in this unforeseen lifecycle of their business are lucky!

So, how are these companies Stayin’ Alive? To quote the lyrics of the well-known Bee Gees hit from the 70’s:

“Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’,

And we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.”

This month our entire magazine is devoted to the health and well being of all those companies and individuals who call the oil and gas industry home.

This month, Oilfield PULSE is chock-full of articles and real life stories on how several of our Oilfield HUB clients are weathering these turbulent times and staying’ alive to make a go of it each and every day. As you will read, these individuals are not only advocates for their own companies, they are all also great ambassadors for the entire oil and gas industry! Or, more aptly put, our oil and gas community. Normally, our stories on health and well-being don’t extend beyond our lifestyle section in the magazine. This month our entire magazine is devoted to the health and well being of all those companies and individuals who call the oil and gas industry home. As one of our client’s so profoundly stated, “If it can help even one of your readers in these times, then it is worth it!” I couldn’t have said it better, and we all certainly agree with this sentiment. We’re hoping you will find this issue of Oilfield PULSE both informative as well as inspiring. We need to uplift our spirits and keep our determination steadfast as we wade through the plethora of negative personal experiences and news cycles these days.

Sticking to our theme, of Stayin’ Alive, perhaps the Bee Gees got it right when they sang:

Life goin’ nowhere, somebody help me Somebody help me, yeah I’m stayin’ alive

We’re all in this mess together, so let’s all work together and help each other out!

Kevin Turko
CEO
Leadstone Group
403.537.6561

Originally  published in the 

October 2015 issue of Oilfield PULSE