Marystown busy with oil industry spinoff

A contract to refit an oil rig at the Marystown shipyard is bringing a lot of people and money to the Burin Peninsula community, southwest of St. John's.

The Henry Goodrich rig is having scheduled maintenance and a refit at the Peter Kiewit facility in Marystown.

Local businesses are preparing for an influx of rig workers who'll need everything from groceries to haircuts.

"It's just nice to see more activity and hopefully more profits for the businesses," said Tilly Kelly, the owner of a hair salon in Marystown.

The work will employ about 350 people and is expected to take 2½ months to complete. A local building supply store said it's already busier.

"We're getting calls after hours for materials that's over and above day to day materials so yes, it's substantially increased our business," said Castle Building Centre store manager Stephen Murrin.

Local politicians say hotels and rental apartments in Marystown are filling up with contract workers.

"When you drive through Marystown in the next 60 days it's going to be like a mini Fort McMurray," said Marystown Mayor Sam Synard, referring to the Alberta town where many people from his community go to work with the oil industry.

Synard is hoping future offshore oil field developments east of Newfoundland will mean even more work for people in Marystown.

Three companies seeking new oil reserves off Newfoundland have agreed to share the operating costs of the Henry Goodrich over a three-year period beginning this November.

Husky Energy, Statoil Canada and Suncor Energy are already heavily invested in the offshore oil industry based on the Grand Banks, southeast of St. John's.