Edward R. Tovell

 

Ed Tovell was born in London, England, on February 19, 1919. His parents moved to Calgary in 1924, where Tovell attended Stanley Jones Public School and Western Canada High School.

 

Tovell began his oil career in Turner Valley with Dowell Inc. in 1942. In 1949 he moved to Edmonton to become district development engineer and, later, station manager. While with Dowell he was responsible for the development of Baker Oil Tools Dual Completion System for dual zone production. After two years of petroleum consulting, he joined Dome Exploration (Western) Ltd. (later Dome Petroleum) as superintendent of drilling and production.

 

Tovell co-ordinated the drilling of the first well at Winter Harbour, which proved that drilling in the high Arctic was practical. He drilled and completed the first salt cavern storage well in Canada at Melville, Saskatchewan. Panarctic Petroleum Ltd. was formed in 1967 to explore the Arctic with Dome Petroleum, and Tovell solved many of the problems associated with drilling in that environment.

 

In 1973 Dome Petroleum decided to do offshore drilling in the Arctic. Tovell, again, was put in charge of the operation. This included purchasing and converting two Liberty supply ships into reinforced drill ships capable of withstanding the ice encountered in the high Arctic. Innovative and productive, Tovell is a respected member of the petroleum industry. He retired in 1991.

 

Career Summary:

• 1942 Joined Dowell Inc. in Turner Valley.
• 1950 Partnered in Petroleum Consultants Ltd.
• 1953 Became drilling and production superintendent for Dome Exploration Ltd.
• 1961 Drilled first well in high Arctic for Dome.
• 1973 Organized drilling of first offshore well in Arctic.