Yep! Still long on Badger. Watching has been much like watching paint dry, but think it will come eventually.
About a month ago, a Badger truck out of Hamilton was active in my neighborhood (in Waterloo, Ontario). The crew were working on local gas pipes, burying large iron 'plugs' below the gas line, and fastening wire between the gas line and plug. The process was most interesting, fast, efficient, and impressive!
1. The truck mounted water jet and vacuum were used to open a 'post hole' about 15 inches wide and 18 feet deep.
2. The iron plug (with wire attached) was dropped to the bottom of the hole, a few feet below the gas line.
3. The gas line was ground clean with a grinder on the end of a long pole.
4. The wire was welded to the pipe with a welding gizmo on the end of another pole.
5. The weld & pipe was covered with a heavy black rubber like material (tape?).
6. The black covering was then cured (or heat shrunk?) with a huge propane torch on the end of long pipe.
7. The truck moved about a block up the street, to repeat the process.
8. Another truck loaded with sand came by later, and the driver filled in the holes, using a wheelbarrow.
The purpose of all this was preventive maintenance; to prevent corrosion of the steel gas pipe. Apparently the iron plugs rust, instead of the pipe.
I spoke to the crew members, who were very high on their company and it's future. Of the three man crew, ALL owned Badger stock, (which they planned to hold and accumulate), and were pleased that the company was diversifying its services outside of the 'western oil patch'.
The crew seemed knowledgeable on company affairs. They were diligent workers who kept working while we talked, stopping in mid sentence where appropriate to attend to equipment or other requirement of the job. The equipment looked new, was clean, and was clearly well maintained.
All in all, they presented a good image, and the experience reinforced my decision to 'hold Badger for the long haul'.
Ian. |
