Dan Widney

 

Dan moved to Turner Valley with his family in 1925, and started in the oil industry at a young age, working with his father's casing crews abandoning wells.

 

In 1941, Dan attended radio college in Vancouver and received a Marine Second Class Commercial Radio Operator's Licence and spent the next few years stationed at various air bases across Canada. After Leduc No. 1 came in, Dan saw an opportunity in oilwell servicing and joined forces with his father and school friend, Harry Alger, to form Widney Well Servicing in 1951.

 

The company prospered and soon expanded its operations into B.C. and Saskatchewan. For 30 years the company serviced Imperial Oil's Leduc wells. Widney Well Servicing was sold to Dresser Industries in 1966 and Dan continued on as manager until he bought the company back in 1971. Ten years later the company was again sold, this time to General Electric. In 1986, Mr. Widney acquired the assets of Brockham Oilwell Servicing and soon his sons Mark and Scott joined him in business. Five years later, he was able to purchase Widney Rig assets and the Widney name from General Electric.

 

Career Summary:

• 1951 Co-founded Widney Well Servicing with father Roy and school friend Harry Alger
• 1965 President of Well Servicing Division of the Canadian Association of Oilwell Drilling Contractors
• 1966 President of Edmonton Petroleum Club
• 1967-1975 Director of Northwest Chamber of Mines
• 1969-1979 Voting member of Northlands Park
• 1981-1996 Director of Mannville Oil & Gas Ltd.
• 1982 Member of Edmonton Economic Development Authority
• 1986 Acquired Brockham Oilwell Servicing
• 1991 Purchased Widney Rig assets and Widney name from General Electric
• 2001 Member of Edmonton Police Foundation
• 2001-2002 Chairman of the Canadian Petroleum Hall of Fame Society