Adkins, William Elmer
Petroleum engineer
1915-1985

Mr. Adkins, a graduate in Chemical Engineering from the 
University of Alberta in 1937, was the superintendent 
responsible for the design and construction of the Bitumount 
oil sands extraction plant.  In association with Born 
Engineering Company he built refineries throughout Western 
Canada, including a facility in Turner Valley, Alberta.  In 
1946 he was appointed superintendent of the Alberta 
Government Oil Sands Project, to build and operate a 
demonstration plant at Bitumount.

Multiple media, 1929-1983, 0.44 m   

Memoirs, 1949, 1983
Explanation of Bitumount Plant, 1949 (one sound disc 
recording); interviews of Elmer and Evelyn Adkins by James 
M. Parker, 1983 (3 sound tape recordings and transcripts).

Photographs, 1929-1951, 1983
Biographical items; refineries in Winnipeg, Brandon and 
Regina; Alberta Oil Sands Project, 1938 and 1948-1949; 
return visit to Bitumount, 1983 (246 images).

Reports, 1948-1950
Mr. Adkins’ progress reports on the Alberta Oil Sands 
Project; consulting report on oil sands for Shell Oil 
Company.

Descriptive inventories available
Access: Open
See also: Lloyd R. Champion