geology student at the U of A. He says his time as a geology student provided so many important life lessons that he’s carried with him—where he counts Charles Stelck—a founding father of petroleum geology in Alberta, as one of his key influencers. “Charlie was one of the innovators who helped me understand how this whole world works,” says Krausert of his friend and mentor. Stelck’s research in fossilized reefs in the arctic led to the founding of some of Alberta’s largest oil reserves. Stelck himself is credited with discovering the Fort St. John and Monkman Pass gas fields, with his pupils also striking black gold in Devon— namely the Leduc No. 1 and Pembina oil fields. While Alberta’s oil and gas sector has been good to the Krauserts, he admits the future didn’t always look so bright. He says he feels lucky to have been given the opportunity to meet some industry experts while studying at the U of A who had a more optimistic outlook on the industry. Today, Krausert points out that the energy sector in Alberta is still going strong because we all enjoy warm showers in the morning. “I can’t see that we’re going to get rid of electricity anytime
soon,” he laughs. By way of looping back to honour a legacy, Krausert has been a strong supporter of a research chair that was founded in his mentor’s name, the C.R. Stelck Chair in Petroleum Geology. “I’m a big fan of the Stelck Chair, because I’m a big fan of Charlie Stelck.”
Alberta energy is in his blood. Brian Krausert, now at the helm of Beaver Drilling has been working in oil and gas for most of his life. In fact, Krausert was recently reunited with his former teacher at a small gathering where Stelck, Krausert, and Professor George Pemberton—the incoming Chair holder—met to mark their shared commitment to drive the energy industry forward through a strong, ongoing research program.
And as in times past, Stelck took the opportunity to seize a teachable moment for his former student and younger colleague, sharing some new research he’d uncovered and one of his most valuable lessons—that the most important thing in life is the friendships you make and keep.
About the C. R. Stelck Chair in Petroleum Geology The future of Alberta’s energy industry lies in nonconventional reservoirs, and the research program of the C.R. Stelck Chair in Petroleum Geology will continue to optimize Alberta’s most valuable resource in innovative ways. This ongoing research will provide vital knowledge about the predictability of the variations in reservoir quality embedded in the stratigraphic context, and can be used to predict sweet spots in time and space. For more information about Stelck Chair, contact the Faculty of Science at (780) 492-9983.
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