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CANADIAN PACIFIC LANGEVIN NUMBER 1 AND 2 GAS WELLS

Cypress County, Alberta, T0J, Canada

Formally Recognized: 1981/12/16

Canadian Pacific Langevin Number 1 and 2 Gas Wells Provincial Historic Resource (May 2006); Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, 2006
Text on cairn
View of cairn at the Canadian Pacific Langevin Number 1 and 2 Gas Wells Provincial Historic Resource site (May 2006); Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, 2006
Looking south towards remains of well heads
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Other Name(s)

CANADIAN PACIFIC LANGEVIN NUMBER 1 AND 2 GAS WELLS
Alderson Natural Gas Discovery Well
Alderson Gas Wells
Alderson CPR 1 and Alderson CPR 2 Wells
Natural Gas Discovery Well
Langevin Discovery Wells
Langevin Discovery Well

Links and documents

Construction Date(s)

Listed on the Canadian Register: 2006/09/07

Statement of Significance

Description of Historic Place

The site of Canadian Pacific Langevin Number 1 and 2 Gas Wells is a railway siding north of the former town of Alderson, part of a legal subdivision on the Canadian Pacific Railway (C.P.R.) line approximately 58 kilometres west of Medicine Hat.

Heritage Value

The Canadian Pacific Langevin Number 1 and 2 Gas Wells are significant as the site of the discovery of natural gas in Alberta (and possibly Canada).

In December 1883, natural gas was discovered accidentally at Langevin when a C.P.R. drilling crew in search of water drilled Well No. 1. Water supplies were scarce on the prairies but essential to the completion of the rail line: for work crews, new townsites along the line, and most importantly, the steam engines. Drilling wells also provided the Geological Survey of Canada with data on the shallow geomorphology of the area. In 1884, No. 2 was the first well drilled in Alberta for the express purpose of using natural gas as a fuel.

After 1900 settlers disregarded the C.P.R.'s planned townsite north of the main rail line, where the wells were located, in favour of land south of the rail line which was closer to a water supply; water was more pressing a need for farmers than an unproven kind of energy. Later, however, natural gas proved to be a cheap, efficient, reliable source of energy, and was integral to the development of industry and manufacturing (notably of ceramics, i.e. brick and tile) in southern Alberta.

Well No. 2 demonstrated amazing longevity for such an early discovery. Continued leakage prompted concerns about possible explosions until both wells were permanently capped in 1954, although natural gas is still produced from the same Milk River formation.

Source: Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch (File: Des. 612)

Character-Defining Elements

The character-defining elements of the Canadian Pacific Langevin Number 1 and 2 Gas Wells include such features as:
- two wells, approximately 2.4 metres (8 feet) apart, 3.6 metres (12 feet) north of tracks, underground, marked by a commemorative cairn erected by PanCanadian Petroleum Ltd.;
- portion of railway siding on which gas wells are located.


Recognition

Jurisdiction

Alberta

Recognition Authority

Province of Alberta

Recognition Statute

Historical Resources Act

Recognition Type

Provincial Historic Resource

Recognition Date

1981/12/16

Historical Information

Significant Date(s)

1883/01/01 to 1954/01/01
1884/01/01 to 1954/01/01

Theme - Category and Type

Developing Economies
Extraction and Production

Function - Category and Type

Current

Historic

Industry
Petroleum and Coal Products Facility

Architect / Designer

n/a

Builder

n/a

Additional Information

Location of Supporting Documentation

Alberta Culture and Community Spirit, Historic Resources Management Branch, Old St. Stephen's College, 8820 - 112 Street, Edmonton, AB T6G 2P8 (File: Des. 612)

Cross-Reference to Collection

Fed/Prov/Terr Identifier

4665-0120

Status

Published

Related Places

n/a

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