56th Annual Lloydminster Oil and Gas (Heavy Crude) Open Bonspiel

Richard was born in Lashburn and was raised on his parents’ nearby farm. As is the case with so many farm boys who have gone on to work in the oilfields, Richard learned valuable life lessons from his father… take responsibility for your jobs… do the work right the first time… and figure out the best way to get the job done. Richard must have learned these lessons well as he acquired the title to a half section of land at the age of 18!

Richard attended school in Lashburn before transferring to the Lloydminster Comprehensive High School to complete his secondary education. Richard did not go on to post-secondary training but applied his hands-on skills operating heavy equipment on road and pipeline construction.

His first direct job in the oil industry was at Husky’s oil pit where trucks dumped crude oil to be treated and cleaned to pipeline specs and shipped to pipelines. Richard went on to be the contract operator of Husky’s Furness Battery while still actively farming his half section of land near Lashburn. Subsequent jobs included driving and operating Frank’s Oilfield Services’ first pressure truck.

Entrepreneurship and risk-taking are hallmarks of Richard’s career. In 1976, he took the chance to start Klinger’s Oilfield Services by financing the purchase of a gas-powered GMC truck, arranging for the installation of the tank and pumps and then undertook the challenge of finding contracts. The long hours demanded by his oilfield startup will be well understood by everyone in the industry. Hard work soon led to the acquisition of additional trucks and the hiring of more employees.

Innovation also characterizes Richard’s approach to business. The lesson from his youth to figure out the best way to get the job done continued to help Klinger’s prosper. Richard introduced the first diesel truck to the local fields. He designed vehicles that added efficient and cost-effective services to clients. He added working platforms to flush-by units to make the work cleaner and safer for staff. He designed and built the first “stinger” equipment that greatly improved the process of cleaning tanks. A process that is the main method used today!  Klinger’s Industrial Division designed and built several pieces of equipment like the bundle blaster that could haul, roll and blast bundles. The Company’s Queen Bee vac trucks are well-known for their high air flow and their ability to load other vac trucks quickly and safely.

Leadership that respected the safety and value of employees was essential to Klinger’s success. By the time Richard sold his company in 2001, it had grown to over 300 workers and 150 trucks.

It’s a tribute to Richard that his family members have continued the oilfield tradition. Whether you know Richard as an employer, contractor, competitor or friend, it’s clear that he is a very worthy recipient of the “Oilman of the Year” Award.