Inuvik (July 06/01) - The upcoming floorhand drilling training program being put on by the Inuvik campus of Aurora College is on more solid financial ground following a presentation during the Inuvik Petroleum Show.

Rick Clarke, industrial oil and gas training co-ordinator for the college, made the presentation last week along with campus director Miki O'Kane.

The program will consist of three 12-day courses, and will take place along Navy Road. An Akita drilling rig will be put in place and a 400-metre cased hole will be dug.

Currently rig workers have to travel outside of the NWT to get training.

"Our vision is to deliver responsive, quality training mobility," O'Kane told delegates, "as well as establish a long term training facility in the North."

O'Kane revealed preparations are going well, considering that the program has had to be started up on short notice.

However, O'Kane revealed that a $175,000 shortfall existed in the total estimated program budget of $840,000.

At that point the college had received confirmed funding from the government of the Northwest Territories, and Ottawa, as well as the Yukon government, Inuvialuit Development Corporation and Gwich'in Tribal Council.

O'Kane said some in-kind contributions from oil and gas firms had been confirmed, and appealed for more support from the industry.

On Tuesday, Clarke said industry has responded. He said lots of companies have either made monetary or in-kind contributions, or plan to, and that the shortfall has been reduced.

Clarke said the amount of the shortfall now is hard to determine, but that the important thing is that industry's support has taken away any lingering doubts organizers had left about whether they could raise the necessary amount and get the program under way.

"It's a go," he said.

Clarke said the Petroleum Show worked out well, especially for the college.

He said the conference was an excellent chance to explain what the program was, and what their needs are. He said if it hadn't been for the conference they would have had to talk with companies one at a time to drum up support.

The four biggest contributors within the oil and gas field are CPE (Canadian Petroleum Engineers), Akita Drilling, AEC and Schlumberger.

The first day of training is to take place July 30.