These rotary drills rapidly displaced the cable-tool rigs in Turner Valley during the thirties. Although on a smaller scale, these are essentially the same tools in use today: The hook (A), which is attached to a travelling block and cable attached over top of the rig to the spool or "core reel" to the right of the driller; the swivel (B), or neck, to which is attached the mud hose (C) coming in from the right, and which pumps mud down the centre of the drilling stem towards the bit; the "kelly" (D) or, "grief stem," which is the narrow section of pipe fitting into the collar and rotary table on the floor; and the cellar (E), which is a section of the floor about three metres square and two metres deep containing a main valve on the large diameter casing which surrounds the drilling pipe.
When the drill is in operation, the rotary table turns rapidly, driven by the kelly or drill stem, and progressive lengths of drill pipe are threaded onto the pipe already in the hole. At the same time, drilling mud is driven down under high pressure through the pipe, to the drilling bits at the end of the long section of drilling pipe, or "string." The mud and cuttings return up the outside of the drill pipe, at the same time acting as a heavy core or plug which prevents the well from blowing out. The dials in front of the driller at left were an innovation for that time, and likely informed him of the mud pressure In the casing and whether there was sufficient pressure for the hot drilling mud to return to the pit.
The effect of the transition to rotary rigs and the onset of the depression on drillers' and helpers' wages were recalled by early Turner Valley drillers:
During 1926 and 1927 we worked twelve-hour shifts and crews changed noon and midnight. In 1926 we did not work Sundays and wages were by the month. Drillers were paid $300.00 per month and board, tool dressers, who were the Cable Tool Drillers' helper, received $150.00 per month and board. Rotary drillers and helpers (roughnecks) were on a similar scale, but there were not many of them at that time.
Later we went on eight-hour shifts and hourly wage. The hourly wage worked out to $14.00 per day for drillers, $6.75 per day for derrick and cat-head men, $5.75 per day for floormen. There were two floormen on each crew. Firemen were paid in relation to what class papers they held. Those lucky enough to have a job even as field laborer were still getting only $4.40 a day as late as 1942. Electricians got $5.75 per day and those were all for eight-hour shifts, and all were considered good wages for those years.
In 1932 our Co., trying to employ as many as possible, reduced our work week from seven days to six and shortly after to five days each week. It affected our pay cheque by $40 a month but no one complained as we were grateful to be kept on during the trying time....
(In the Light of the Flares: A History of Turner Valley Oil Fields, Turner Valley, Alta.: Sheep River Historical Society, 1979.)
Courtesy: Provincial Archives of Alberta, H. Pollard Collection (PA 1982)
