Absolute Locating Ltd.

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.

🚧 The booth is set up and we’re ready for the show!

Absolute Locating Ltd. is proud to be exhibiting at the 2026 Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Show in Weyburn. Stop by Booth #007 to meet our team and learn more about the services we provide across Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Our services include:

📍 Underground Facility Locating
📍 Damage Prevention Programs
📍 Asset Integrity Support
📍 GPS Mapping & GIS Solutions
📍 AbsoMap Web Mapping Platform
📍 Specialty Locating Services
📍 Rodder Services
📍 UAV Inspection & Mapping Solutions
📍 Methane Leak Detection

Whether you’re looking for reliable locating services, GIS support, asset management solutions, or innovative UAV technology, we’d be happy to discuss how we can help.

If you’re attending the show, stop by Booth #007 and say hello!

📍 We're Heading to the Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Show!

The team at Absolute Locating Ltd. is excited to be attending the Saskatchewan Oil & Gas Show in Weyburn on June 3 and 4.

Since 2002, we've been helping Saskatchewan's energy industry, contractors, municipalities, and landowners safely manage underground infrastructure through professional line locating, utility mapping, damage prevention, and field support services.

If you're attending the show, stop by Booth #007 and say hello. We'd be happy to discuss your upcoming projects, answer questions about our services, and connect with others who share our commitment to safety and accuracy in the field.

Learn more about the show at:
https://www.oilshow.ca/

📅 June 3 & 4, 2026
📍 Weyburn, Saskatchewan
📍 Booth #007

See you at the show!

How do “unknown” underground utilities happen?

Not every buried line was installed with the foresight to fully document it.

Back in the day, many utilities were installed long before modern GPS mapping, GIS systems, and digital recordkeeping became standard practice.

Over time, companies change hands, records get lost, tracer wires fail, infrastructure gets modified, and in some cases the only record was the knowledge of someone who is no longer around.

Some older utilities may never have been properly mapped to begin with.

That’s why locating is about more than just reviewing records.

Field sweeps are critical for identifying utilities that may not appear on drawings or GIS data.

The maps and records in this image represent the “knowns.”

The locating equipment represents the search for everything else.

The map tells part of the story.

The field tells the rest.

We’re proud to support the South East Saskatchewan Regional Science Fair as a Developer level sponsor.

It’s great to see young people in our region exploring science, technology, problem solving, and innovation. Supporting opportunities like this helps encourage the next generation of thinkers, builders, and innovators right here in Southeast Saskatchewan.

Thank you to the organizers, volunteers, teachers, and students for everything you do to make the event a success.

A huge thank you to Absolute Locating Ltd for being a Developer level sponsor! We appreciate your support so much!! Thank you!

We’ve run into situations where access to drawings or maps was restricted before a locate, with the idea that using them would be “cheating.”

It’s not.

Those records are where the process starts.

We use drawings, maps, and GIS data to identify known utilities and build an initial picture of the site. Those knowns are marked first.

Then the real work begins.

Full sweeps are performed to detect anything else — utilities that may not be documented, may have been installed later, or simply don’t appear on any records.

Records don’t replace locating. And locating doesn’t replace records.

You need both to get the full picture.

Removing that information doesn’t make a locate more accurate, it just removes context.

You wouldn’t take a carpenter’s hammer away and expect better results.

The same applies here.

Signals are interpretations — not exact positions.

The image above is a good example of how that plays out.

A locate sweep may detect multiple signals and mark their approximate positions. But when those utilities are physically exposed, their actual placement can be slightly different — sometimes closer together than what the signals suggested.

That’s because we are not detecting the pipe itself. We are interpreting a signal associated with it.

Signal behavior can be influenced by nearby utilities, soil conditions, depth, and congestion.

Because of that, locate markings represent an approximate position — not a direct confirmation of the utility.

That’s why we recommend daylighting any facilities near excavation.

Paint shows where to be cautious. Exposure confirms what’s actually there.

Ever wonder what all those colored markings on the ground actually mean?

They’re not random — each color represents a different type of underground utility:

Red — Electric power lines
Yellow — Gas, oil, and petroleum
Orange — Communication lines
Blue — Potable water
Green — Sewers and drainage
Purple — Reclaimed water / irrigation
Pink — Temporary survey markings
White — Proposed excavation

Understanding these markings is the first step in preventing damage and staying safe on any job site.

Before any digging starts, make sure you know what’s below.

Absolute Locating is built around one core service: accurate, dependable underground line locating.

While we also offer advanced support services like UAV inspections and methane detection, line locating is the foundation of what we do. It’s where safety starts, where projects stay on track, and where costly damage can often be prevented before it happens.

Whether the job involves construction, excavation, crossings, or site planning, having the right information before ground is broken matters.

When you need to know what’s below, start with Absolute Locating.

2025 Locating & GIS Season Complete – Absolute Locating Ltd.

Here’s a snapshot of what our locating team delivered in 2025 using Salesforce and ArcGIS:

🧾 3,509 field tickets completed
📁 3,490 projects delivered

🗺️ GIS Data Captured
📍 1,800 GPS point features
📏 2,664 GPS line features
🟦 359 work-area polygons

All locating data was captured and managed through ArcGIS field workflows, supporting accurate documentation and reliable deliverables.

Thanks to everyone involved — we’re looking forward to 2026.