Lodgepole Airport

Primarily economic and logistical. This was a private aerodrome owned and operated by an energy company (originally Amoco Canada, later likely Canadian Natural Resources Limited - CNRL) to support its operations in the Lodgepole gas field. Such airstrips are expensive to maintain and certify. The closure was likely due to a combination of factors: a decrease in the specific need for air transport to that site, improved road access, consolidation of operations, or a cost-benefit analysis determining that using the land for equipment storage was more valuable.

The site has been completely repurposed into an industrial storage yard, commonly referred to as a 'pipe yard'. Current satellite imagery clearly shows the entire length of the former runway and tarmac areas are covered with neatly arranged rows of large-diameter industrial pipes, vehicles, and other heavy equipment associated with oil and gas operations. The runway is physically obstructed and entirely unusable for any aviation purposes.

The airport was a vital piece of infrastructure for the oil and gas industry in central Alberta. Its primary purpose was to facilitate the rapid transportation of personnel (executives, engineers, crew changes) and high-priority, time-sensitive cargo to the remote Lodgepole gas plant and surrounding field operations. By providing direct air access, it allowed the operating company to bypass hours of ground travel from major centres like Edmonton or Calgary. The airport was capable of handling turboprop aircraft, such as the King Air or Dash 8, and possibly small corporate jets, which were essential for connecting the remote industrial site to corporate headquarters.

Effectively zero. There are no known plans or discussions about reopening the airport. The significant cost of removing the vast amount of stored industrial material, inspecting and repairing the runway surface, and recertifying the aerodrome for flight operations would be prohibitive. Given that the land has been fully integrated into the company's ground-based logistical chain as a storage facility, its value in its current state likely outweighs any potential benefit of restoring it as an airstrip.