Each area of work comes with a unique set of challenges. Some crews could have the opportunity to work in just one, a few, or all areas in a given field season.

In Northern Alberta, sites are accessed with helicopters, Argos, ATVs, and 4x4 trucks. Sites are typically in the boreal or mountain regions, though some private rangeland and cropland sites are present in this region also. Accessing northern sites can be an adventure in and of itself. Crews must be prepared to troubleshoot and adapt to changing conditions throughout each shift.

The OSR occupies a large portion of Alberta and working within its boundaries comes with many of the access challenges associated with northern work. The key difference is that there are additional challenges related to working on or near industry sites, such as obtaining company-specific safety certifications and frequent communication on-site with industry personnel.

Dependent on the year, some technologists may be placed on remote crews. Remote crews aretransported to sites via helicopter, where they complete their data collection and camp overnight near the landing spot. They are transported to their next site the following day and may continue this for the duration of the shift, up to 10 days. All camping equipment is provided, from tent and sleeping bag, to stove and camping utensils.

Sites in Southern Alberta are typically accessed with 4x4 trucks. Sites are typically in the prairie or parkland areas of the province with many sites in private rangelands and croplands. Southern crews regularly deal with intense heat, wind, and variable range road conditions. Crews often interact with local landowners and represent an in-person continuation of the relationships developed by the land access team. It’s important that field crews maintain these relationships for future years of access.