In 1946, Imperial Oil commissioned a team of seismologists to survey Central Alberta. The results were comparable to data gathered near Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories, which encouraged Imperial Oil to drill an exploratory well near the hamlet of Leduc. It was believed that the region belonged to an oil-bearing, Devonian formation, thus on November 20th, 1946, after drilling 133 dry wells, Hunter and his thirty-man crew began drilling the Leduc No.1 exploratory well. Within months, core samples caught the attention of Imperial Oil executives, as they indicated that the team was nearing an oil discovery. In January 1947, Leduc No.1 struck oil. The team drilled into a layer of wet gas and rock laced with oil, before stopping at a depth of 5,066 ft. On the 13th of February, Hunter and his team brought the well into production.

Today, we share in their story. We feel their passion and perseverance. We feel their commitment to community. In honour of their work, the Leduc #1 Energy Discovery Centre was born. It aimed to celebrate the lives of Albertan oilfield workers and the emergence of Canada’s energy sector. Now, Canada’s energy sector is undergoing dramatic change. For this reason, we’re expressing our commitment to both the sector’s founders and present innovators, as well as its future thinkers. Becoming the Canadian Energy Museum in 2019 symbolizes more than a change in name, it symbolizes Canada’s progress as an energy state. At CEM, the future is in dialogue with the past. We are dedicated to preserving a spirit of discovery, innovation and education while celebrating where we came from and where we are going.