Absolute Locating Ltd.

10/01/2026

👻 The scariest hazards are often the ones you can’t see.

Buried utilities don’t come with warning signs — and finding them before the work begins can help prevent costly damage, delays, and serious safety risks.

At Absolute Locating, our experienced crews help give contractors and operators a clearer picture of what’s below before the ground is disturbed.

🎃 This October, leave the surprises to Halloween.

📍 Serving Southeast Saskatchewan, Southwest Manitoba & Northwest North Dakota.

09/15/2026

What does a locator do when the signal doesn’t make sense?

We investigate.

Utility locating isn’t always as simple as connecting a transmitter, following a signal, and putting down paint.

Signals can behave unexpectedly. They can couple onto nearby facilities, become distorted in congested areas, change direction, or simply not agree with the records and information available to us.

When something doesn’t add up, an experienced locator doesn’t just follow the first signal.

We may:

Change connection points

Approach the utility from another direction

Try different frequencies

Check records, GIS data, and historical locate information

Perform additional sweeps of the surrounding area

Compare what the equipment is telling us with what we know about the site

Sometimes one of the most important skills in line locating is recognizing when something doesn’t make sense.

That’s when experience, training, and critical thinking really matter.

Following a signal is one thing. Understanding what that signal is actually telling you is another.

09/10/2026

🚁 We’re Hiring – Drone/UAV Assistant

Absolute Locating Ltd. is looking for a full-time Drone/UAV Assistant to join our team in Oxbow, Saskatchewan.

This is a hands-on field position supporting our UAV operations. Because UAV work is highly dependent on weather and flying conditions, the position also includes line locating assistant work when UAV operations cannot be performed, providing the opportunity to gain experience in both drone operations and utility locating.

We’re looking for someone dependable, motivated, comfortable working outdoors, and interested in learning new skills.

What we’re looking for:

Valid driver’s licence
Professional attitude and strong work ethic
Comfortable working outdoors and walking for extended periods
Willingness to travel to job sites
Safety tickets are an asset
UAV, locating, oilfield, surveying, GIS, or related experience is an asset, but not required

We offer competitive wages, a group benefits package, full-time employment, and opportunities for advancement.

📍 Oxbow, SK
📧 Send your résumé to [email protected]

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Send a message to learn more

09/01/2026

**The locate is only good for the area requested.**

A locate is completed based on the scope and work area provided to the locator.

If the excavation area changes or expands, don't assume the surrounding area was also cleared just because utilities were marked nearby.

Underground infrastructure doesn't conveniently stop at the edge of the original work area. Facilities outside that area may not have been part of the locate at all.

At Absolute Locating, we include a **30-metre buffer around all areas of work** as part of our locate area.

But if the scope of work changes, the locates need to be updated to reflect the new scope and work area.

**If the work area changes, update the locate. Make sure the entire new work area, including the required 30-metre buffer, is covered before excavation begins.**

A few extra metres can mean an entirely different underground picture.

08/17/2026

**What really happens before a line locate begins?**

Many people think the job starts when the locator arrives on site.

In reality, that's just one step in the process.

Before we head to the field, we've already:

* Reviewed the work request
* Checked for any applicable One Call tickets or locate requests
* Reviewed available records and drawings
* Checked historical locate data
* Reviewed GIS mapping and available documentation
* Reviewed client-specific information and requirements
* Planned the most effective approach for the site

Only then do we head into the field to locate, mark, document, and verify the information needed to help reduce the risk of damaging underground infrastructure.

A successful locate isn't just about the paint on the ground—it's the preparation, experience, and attention to detail that happens before anyone picks up a locator.

Because the better prepared we are before arriving on site, the better equipped we are to provide the most complete and accurate locate possible.

08/04/2026

Can you see what's wrong with this picture?

At first glance, it might look like a normal excavation site. But there's one important thing missing...

There are no utility locate markings.

Before any excavation begins, underground utilities should be identified and the work area marked with paint, flags, or wooden stakes. These markings help crews understand where buried infrastructure may be located, allowing them to plan their excavation safely and reduce the risk of striking an underground utility.

It's also important to remember that locate markings indicate the approximate location of underground facilities—they do not expose them. When work is taking place near a marked utility, the safest practice is to daylight (expose) the facility using non-destructive methods, such as hydrovac excavation, to visually confirm its exact location before mechanical excavation continues.

Taking the time to locate and, where required, daylight underground utilities helps protect workers, prevent costly damage, reduce project delays, and keep essential services running.

Would you have noticed what was missing?

07/15/2026

For the past week and a half, our UAV pilot has been on the road capturing aerial imagery and 360° photography of SaskEnergy booster stations across Saskatchewan.

Starting in the northwest near Flat Valley, St. Walburg, and Big River, the project has taken us through communities across the province—including Prince Albert, Nipawin, Melfort, Yorkton, Regina, and Moose Jaw—as we work our way back home.

In total, we're documenting more than 30 SaskEnergy facilities, providing high-resolution aerial imagery and immersive 360° photos that will help support planning, operations, and asset management.

Projects like this showcase how drone technology can safely and efficiently capture valuable data across large geographic areas, while minimizing disruption to day-to-day operations.

We're proud to support SaskEnergy and look forward to wrapping up another successful project.

07/06/2026

Not Every Underground Utility Is Marked Through Sask First Call

One of the biggest misconceptions we encounter is that submitting a Sask First Call request means every underground utility on a property will be identified and marked.

While Sask First Call is an essential part of safe excavation, not every underground facility is part of the Sask First Call system. Some utilities are privately owned, while others are owned or operated by organizations—including some oil and gas companies—that are not members of the Sask First Call program.

These facilities can include private power lines, water lines, gas lines, communication cables, irrigation systems, and other underground infrastructure.

Before any excavation begins, it's important to understand both where utilities are located and who owns them. Identifying infrastructure outside the Sask First Call system can be just as important as locating registered utilities.

A little planning before you dig can help prevent costly damage, project delays, and safety hazards.

At Absolute Locating, we're committed to helping our clients make informed decisions before breaking ground.

06/25/2026

On Friday, June 12, I flew out to Calgary and made a quick trip up to Red Deer County to attend the AIRINS MetScan and Sniffer4D demonstration hosted by Remote Robotic Systems.

The demo was held at Crossroads Gas Co-op Ltd., where they had a controlled below-ground gas leak test set up. It was a great opportunity to see the sensor operate in a real-world field-style environment, review live readings, and see how the data can be processed into usable outputs.

At Absolute Locating, we are always evaluating new sensors, software, and UAV workflows that may help improve methane screening, pipeline inspection, and client deliverables.

AIRINS, formerly Soarability, has some very interesting technology in this space, and it was really cool to see the system perform outside of a controlled sales presentation.

Big thanks to Ian Scott and the Remote Robotic Systems team for the invite, and to Crossroads Gas Co-op Ltd. for hosting and setting up the controlled leak test.

I met a lot of great people, learned a lot of new information, and really appreciated the chance to see where this technology is heading.

06/15/2026

Not all locate environments are simple.
Some areas contain multiple utilities running close together, crossing paths, or creating overlapping signal responses.
Add in older infrastructure, undocumented installations, interference, and changing site conditions, and the complexity increases quickly.
That’s why experience matters in utility locating.
Founded in 2002, Absolute Locating has been serving the area for 24 years, and most of our locators have been with us for more than 10 years.
That kind of experience says a lot.
It speaks to the knowledge our team brings into the field, and to the kind of family owned company people want to stay with.
Our newer locators are trained directly by that experienced team, carrying that same standard forward.
Operating the equipment is only part of the process.
Understanding how signals behave in real world conditions is what helps turn field data into accurate interpretations.
Every site tells a different story.