Arctic fantasies need reality check

EDMONTON – Geologist Robert Meneley knows all about visions of fabulous Arctic oil and gas treasure. He tried to make the dreams come true for Panarctic Oils, Petro-Canada and industry partners.

“It was brutal,” he said in an interview, recalling lessons taught by polar drilling campaigns he led in the 1970s and ’80s. “We never got a good surprise.”


In retirement as a consultant and member of the Canadian Gas Potential Committee … He roves an international lecture circuit, where he puts reality checks on today’s born-again romance with northern bonanzas.

He does not mince words about new Arctic visionaries.

They range from politicians looking for reasons to spend taxpayer fortunes on asserting national sovereignty over polar regions to theorists in Calgary’s Arctic Institute of North America and Las Vegas investors selling shares in Arctic Oil & Gas Corp.

“These guys love to promote Arctic programs and spend summer holidays in the Arctic. They don’t really understand the process of exploration,” Meneley said.

“It wasn’t easy. It was expensive like nobody ever imagined,” he recalled.

“Prospects of giant Middle East oilfields danced in the heads of promoters. The presence of giant oilfields was viewed to be an absolute certainty,” Meneley recalled.

“The group quit because they ran out of prospects, not because they ran out of money,” he reported.

Edmonton Journal