Arne Nielsen had always been captivated by the land. Growing up on a modest farm near Standard, Alberta, he’d spent his boyhood surrounded by endless skies and soil that seemed to whisper secrets of what lay beneath. That curiosity only deepened as he pursued his studies at the University of Alberta, earning his degree in geology.

Armed with knowledge and working as a District Geologist for Socony Vacuum Exploration Company, Arne poured over maps and data in their Edmonton office, chasing an idea that wouldn’t leave him. Among the chaotic layers of rock that painted Alberta’s geological history, he spotted an anomaly in the Cardium sandstone. It was there, in those faint patterns, that he envisioned the promise of oil. Trusting his instincts, Arne selected the location for the discovery well, a decision that would prove revolutionary.