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At first blush, the phalanx of drilling rigs and oilfield vehicles arrayed military-style in the sprawling yard in Nisku look ready to launch an energy boom.

But what covers a good chunk of the 73-hectare Ritchie Bros. Auction compound near Edmonton is symbolic of the oilpatch bust that’s taken hold of Alberta and won’t let go.

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“There’s not much work, so there’s more selling activity,” said Randy Wall, president of the company’s Canadian arm that’s recently done $215 million in sales at the yard in a single go.

“We fill it with product.”

Drilling down to a more personal level are those at the blunt end when all that heavy equipment is idled and on the block.

That’s where veteran auctioneer Larry Graham comes in and for him, times are good.

“I tell my junior people, auctions are good in the good times, better in the bad,” he said, adding life’s extras like quads and snowmobiles are showing up in his lot.