Orphan oil and gas wells adopted by rookie Alberta energy company founder
CALGARY — Where some see only a jumble of rusted pipes and black tanks jutting from a weed-infested yard in a prairie grain field, Tyler Visscher sees opportunity.
The 31-year-old Red Deer, Alta., electrician is trying to build an oil and gas company the hard way, by scouring the Orphan Well Association’s list of parentless wells in Alberta in hopes of picking out a few winners.
He “adopted” his first well two years ago — bought it, actually — and is now wading through a “whack of paperwork” to buy a second.
“Oh, yeah, it’s a gamble for sure,” says the budding oilman. “With everything, there’s a risk, right?”