The Story of OilTrails & Ash Point Software

Hello,

I’m Craig Hewlett, the founder of Ash Point Software. Normally, I prefer to stay behind the scenes, working alongside my team to build and refine our software. But with everything going on in the world, I think it’s time you know a little more about who we are, where we came from, and what we stand for.

At a time when Canadians are looking to unite more than ever, I want to be clear—OilTrails is built by Canadians, for Canadians. It was born out of real-world oilfield experience, designed specifically to solve the navigation challenges we face in Western Canada’s oil patch.

If you’ve ever used OilTrails, this is the story of how it came to be—and where we’re taking it next.

From the Oil Patch to Software Development

I was born and raised in Alberta, growing up on a farm near Drayton Valley. After finishing high school in 2004, I went straight into the oilfield, landing a job roughnecking on a service rig for Hi West. I quickly fell in love with the work—the problem-solving, the team dynamic, and the challenge of it all.

At the same time, I had another passion: technology. I enrolled in a Computer Information Systems (CIS) degree, balancing remote coursework with long hours on the rig.

In 2007, Hi West was no more and our whole crew made the jump to Silverstar Well Servicing. I continued to work my way up, eventually becoming a Rig Manager.

By the early 2010s, smartphones were becoming more powerful, but there was no reliable way to find LSD locations. I was frustrated with how difficult it was to get accurate directions to lease sites, and I knew there had to be a better way.

So, I built one.

The Birth of OilTrails – A Canadian Solution for a Canadian Problem

In 2012, I started experimenting with mobile development and found a third-party API that converted LSD locations into GPS coordinates, allowing users to open directions in Google Maps. I packaged it into an app and launched it on the App Store under the name Canadian Lease Locator.

At the time, I was working in Kindersley, SK. We had been called out last minute, and the area was so busy I could only book a hotel room one night at a time. Every day, we packed our bags to the rig because I had no idea where we’d be staying next.

Meanwhile, Apple’s app review process took weeks back then. I had submitted the app and, in the chaos of work, forgotten about it—until one day, I checked, and it had launched.

Hundreds of people were downloading it every single day.

I was over the moon. The app had taken off, and before I knew it, it was ranked #1 in Paid Navigation on the App Store.

And it wasn’t just any app—it was a Canadian app, built specifically for the Canadian oilfield.

From Side Project to Full-Time Business

For years, I continued working the rigs while refining the app, spending my breakups building new features. In 2018, Canadian Lease Locator rebranded to OilTrails, reflecting its broader capabilities and expanding user base.

By that time, Savanna Well Servicing had bought out Silverstar, and later, Total bought out Savanna—but the name remained. Regardless of the logo on the equipment, through all the ups and downs of oilfield life, I was happy. I believed I was a lifer—someone who would always work the rigs, through every boom and bust cycle.

I loved traveling all over Western Canada, working in some of the most remote and unforgiving landscapes. There was something special about being hours from the nearest town, where the only company you had was your crew, the rig, and the vast, open land stretching for kilometers. Whether it was the barren cold of a Northern Alberta winter, where steel froze your gloves solid in seconds (and you always had to tap them against your co-worker’s hard hat to prove it), or the sticky heat of a Saskatchewan summer, where the dust clung to everything, there was a certain pride in working through it all.

It wasn’t just about the job—it was about the camaraderie. Out there, your crew became your family. No matter how rough the conditions were, there was always someone cracking a joke, someone lending a hand, and someone reminding you that you were in it together. Whether it was battling stubborn BOPs in -40°C, getting a truck unstuck from a lease road that had turned into a swamp of gumbo, or pushing through a 20-hour shift when things went sideways, we had each other’s backs.

Those experiences shaped me. They taught me perseverance, problem-solving, and the importance of trust. No matter what the conditions threw at us, we adapted, figured it out, and got the job done. And for a long time, I thought that was what I’d be doing for the rest of my life.

Then, 2020 happened.

When the big slowdown hit, Savanna laid off everyone not working at breakup so they could collect government assistance. They assured us we’d be hired back as soon as possible, but for the first time in my adult life, I was unemployed.

That moment shook my entire perspective.

But I took the temporary layoff as a sign to fully commit to software development. I expanded my skillset, learning more about web development and Android programming, and went all-in on OilTrails. While Savanna eventually called me back, I worked a few weeks in the fall before resigning and building Ash Point Software into what it is today.

OilTrails was no longer just a side project—it is Canada’s leading oilfield navigation app.

And just a small note before I move on. Savanna was a great company to work for. They treated us well, and I have nothing but good things to say about them. The managers I worked with out of the Leduc and Grande Prairie offices were top-notch and always had my back.

The Evolution of OilTrails

OilTrails has come a long way since its early days. Some of the biggest innovations include:

• Well Data - Quickly access detailed wellsite information for better planning.
• Reverse Geocoding - Drop a pin to convert GPS coordinates into LSD or NTS locations and get well information.
• GeoPics - Capture and geotag wellsite photos directly within the app.
• Lease-Specific Weather - Check real-time weather conditions at your lease before you even hit the road.
• 3D Satellite Mapping - View realistic, high-resolution terrain for better navigation.
• Offline Turn-by-Turn Navigation - Ensure reliable navigation, even in the most remote areas with no cell service.
• Cross-Platform Syncing - Seamlessly switch between devices without losing your data.
• Free to use web app - Access OilTrails from computers from any browser.
• OilTrails Business - Manage your team’s access with a centralized dashboard.

But perhaps the biggest breakthrough was

Offline LSD lookup and reverse geocoding

Before this, OilTrails relied on a third-party API for location lookups. If you were out of service, the system was useless. Worse yet, there were times when their service went down, leaving every user stranded without location data.

To fix this, we developed our own proprietary offline lookup technology, written natively for iOS, Android, and web. The result? Lightning-fast lookups, even with no cell service.

On a 2019 Samsung Galaxy S10, an LSD lookup now takes just 9 milliseconds. That’s faster than a blink.

What’s Next for OilTrails & Ash Point Software?

• OilTrails Free Oilfield Images - A free collection of oilfield photos from my years on the rigs, available for download and use.
• GeoPics 2.0 - A major redesign is on the horizon—stay tuned.
• Continued Innovation - As new technology emerges, OilTrails will continue evolving to provide the best navigation tools for the Canadian oil and gas industry.

Proudly Canadian, Built for Canadian Oilfield Workers

OilTrails isn’t just another navigation app. It’s made in Canada, by Canadians, for Canadians. It’s built by someone who has worked the rigs, driven those lease roads, and understands the challenges you face every day.

We don’t rely on generic solutions—we build software for our industry, for our country, and for the people who keep it running.

If you’ve ever used OilTrails, I genuinely appreciate your support. This company exists because of you.

We’re just getting started.

Thanks for being part of the journey.

— Craig Hewlett
Founder & CEO, Ash Point Software