Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Aug 14/00) - Spurred on by rising gas and oil prices, Calgary-based Challenger Surveys and Services Ltd. has entered into a partnership with Inuvialuit Projects Incorporated (IPI).

The joint venture partnership is split 51 per cent for IPI and 49 per cent for Challenger.

Challenger president Dave Thomson said the partnership is something his company has been seeking in order to raise their profile in the North.

"We've been involved in exploration in the North since our company's inception in the early '80s," Thomson said.

"With rising demand and prices for natural gas, exploration activity in the Mackenzie Delta has taken off and there is renewed discussion about building a pipeline down the Mackenzie Valley."

Thomson said Challenger will soon be opening an office in Inuvik to offer a range of geomatic services. They also have offices in Calgary, Edmonton and Regina.

"If the pipeline goes ahead, the Beaufort-Mackenzie Delta region could once again be at the centre of Canadian oil and gas industry," he said.

Challenger has provided survey and navigation software for exploration in the Mackenzie Delta-Beaufort Sea area, surveys for Diavik Diamond Mines, and Chevron's lease, pipeline and operations in Fort Liard.

The company has extensive survey maps of the Liard area, Mackenzie Valley and the Beaufort/Delta areas.

Thomson said the high price for oil and gas has brought the focus back North.

"We have companies from all over the world calling for these maps," Thomson said.

Challenger has joint venture offices in Thailand, Malaysia, and the Philippines, with affiliations in Ghana, Indonesia, India, Myanmar, Nigeria and Vietnam.