(1) Operational ProbleD1.s In Th.e Arctic Islands By J. L. U8HER* (12th Annual Technical Meeting, Edmonton, May, 1961) Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/jcpt/article-pdf/1/01/35/2165490/petsoc-62-01-07.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 ABSTRACT certed efforts of the many expedi­ provided us with the basic knowl­ Geological exploration on the tions that attempted to reach the edge of how to live and work in the Arctic Islands encounters many North Pole. These numerous voy­ area. operational problems that are new ages established the basic carto­ Private companies, and particu­ to most Canadian geologists. Al­ graphy of the Islands, but yielded though conditions are similar to larly consultant firms, beginning those of the tundra on the northern only a smattering of geological their own exploration of selected Mainland, climatic and physiogra­ knowledge from widely separated blocks of land on the Islands, must phic differences impose modifica­ points. It was not until the post­ base their initial mode of operation tions in transportation to the field, war years of the late 1940's that the in planned reconnaissance and de­ on the information gained by the tailed surface studies, and in living first long-range, systematically plan­ Survey's previous experience. Gen­ conditions in the field. The relative ned, geological exploration of the erally, however, because their oper~ merits of small single-winged air­ Islands was instrumented by the ations are limited 'by economy and craft and helicopters are discussed; Canadian Government. To day, the change of method of field work time factors, they cannot plan very with change of ice conditions from through the efforts of the Geologi­ far ahead. The more detailed work spring to fall are examined; the cal Survey of Canada, whose work which they must perform on small effect of various topographies and has 'been immeasurably aided by areas, to be covered in one or two bedrock on relative ease of move­ complete photographic coverage of ment are considered. seasons, and with limited resources, the Islands, regional geological rec· causes problems to arise which onnaissance of the Arctic Archipel­ INTRODUCTION are quite different from those en­ ago is nearly completed. This work countered by the Geological Survey ECORDED exploration of the was obviously basic to the opening in their broad regional studies plan­ R Arctic Islands has been in pro­ of the Islands' territory to oil and ned and carried out over a greater gress for nearly 450 years. It be­ gas exploration and to the acquisi­ number of years. To illustrate a gan with the search for a North­ tion of lands by companies inter­ seemingly casual but indeed very west Passage to the Indies, a search ested in this exploration. The value significant difference between the that was forced upon European of the Geological Survey's explora­ operations of a private firm and entrepreneurs when they realized tion is not, however, limited to geol­ the operations of a Federal Govern­ that not only was the earth spheroi­ ogy; their operations on the Islands ment survey in the Arctic Islands dal hut that a major continent in­ have provided us with important is the problem of manpower. The tervened and barred the western and valuable data on methods of field force of the Geological Survey route between Europe and Asia. In ground and aerial transportation, comprises specialists in all facets the words of Taylor (19'55, p. 8), on the climate, on the terrain, and of geology: structural specialists, " ... North America, in European on logistics. In short, they have igneous specialists, stratigraphers, eyes, was not so much a goal to be and paleontologists specializing in achieved as an obstacle to be sur­ faunas of each and every period of mounted." Polar exploration was (1) The author is indebted to the geological time from Cambrian to further advanced by whaling and geologists of J. C. Sproule and Tertiary. Theoretically, and for sealing enterprises and by the con- Associates, Ltd., who contrib­ the most part practically, teams of uted to the information con­ tained herein, and especially to these specialists can be and have Mr. G. A. Wilson. from whose been sent to study the geology of * Dr. J. L. Usher, J. C. Sproule &; unpublished description of phy­ areas where their training and ex­ Assoc., Ltd., Calgary, Alta.; now siography, climate, transport, Associate Professor of Geology, habitation and settlements the perience will provide optimum re­ Queen's University, Kingston, Onto present author freely drew. sults. Private operators do not have Technology, Spring, 1962, Calgary 35 this wide choice of specialized man­ but are herein considered part of distinguishes six principal units power at their immediate disposal the eastern sub-group. These two (Figure 1). These are: (i) moun­ but must rely upon their general sub-groups are hereinafter called tains underlain by Precambrian field geologists to gather, study, and the east southern Arctic Islands rocks; (ii) uplands underlain by interpret structural, stratigraphic, and the west southern Arctic Is­ Precambrian rocks; (iii) mountains and paleontologic data in the field. lands. The east southern sub-group underlain by folded sedimentary True, the services of government contains Baffin, Bylot, and adjoin­ rocks; (iv) uplands underlain by specialists are available to aid pri­ ing small islands, as well as Mel­ folded sedimentary strata; (v) pla­ vate concerns in the interpretation ville Peninsula. The west southern teaux underlain by flat-lying strata; of collected data, provided those sub-group includes Somerset, Prince (vi) lowlands unclassified as to specialists are not already overbur­ of Wales, King William, Victoria, structure but underlain by sedimen­ dened with a combination of their Stefansson, Banks, and all adjoin­ tary rocks. The latter unit includes own research and other demands of ing smaller islands; Boothia Pen­ the Arctic coastal plain. Obvious­ industry, but there is a singular insula is considered a natural part ly inherent in this classification is advantage in having, for instance, of this geographic sub-group. the close relation between geology a trained sedimentologist or paleon­ and land form; the physiography The islands lying north of Parry tologist to solve problems in the of a region cannot be intelligently Channel were early referred to as field. contemplated without awareness of the Northern Arctic Islands but the control imposed on it by the Downloaded from http://onepetro.org/jcpt/article-pdf/1/01/35/2165490/petsoc-62-01-07.pdf by guest on 29 September 2021 The object of the present paper they are now known as the Queen geology of the region. is to discuss the influence of the Elizabeth Islands. Within this physical environment of the Arctic group the islands of Devon, Corn­ Mountains and Uplands Underlain Islands on surface geological ex­ wallis, Bathurst, Byam Martin, and by Precambrian Rocks ploration, and to report some of the Melville, bounded by Lancaster Precambrian mountains (high­ more consequential problems that Sound, Barrow Strait, and Viscount land regions) are confined to the are encountered in private openy Melville Sound, were named the eastern border of the Arctic Archi­ tions. The vast distance of the Parry Islands by the British Ad­ pelago; from the mountains of Un­ Arctic Islands from well travelled miralty in 1835 in honour of the gava, with which they are co-exten­ routes and centres of supply, and British explorer, Lieutenant W. E. sive, they occupy the entire length the considerable expenditures in­ Parry, who discovered and gave of Baffin Island, extend across the volved in overcoming these dis­ names to them. For the same rea­ east end of Devon Island and along tances, are critical factors in the son Axel Heiberg Island and the the east coast of Ellesmere Island success or failure of current opera­ Ringnes Islands were dubbed the as far north as Bache Peninsula. tions by private individuals or firms "Sverdrup Group" in honour of Cap­ The highest elevations, approx­ attempting to explore and improve tain Otto Sverdrup's 1898 to 1902 imately 8,000 feet, are reached in their holdings on the Islands. explorations during which the group east-central Baffin Island; from was discovered. there northward the summits are A GEOGRAPHIC SUBDIVISION OF between 4,000 and 6,000 feet above A PHYSIOGRAPHIC SUBDIVISION THE ARCTIC ISLANDS sea level. Vast glaciers still occupy OF THE ARCTIC ISLANDS much of this mountainous terrain The Northwest Territories of A relatively simple physiographic and the evidence of extensive Pleis­ Canada comprise most of Canada classification of the Arctic Islands tocene alpine glaciation is freshly north of 60° N. latitude and are divided for practical administrative purposes into three provisional dis­ PHYSIOGRAPHIC MAP. ARCTIC ISLANDS tricts: Keewatin, Mackenzie, and Franklin. The District of Franklin, involving very nearly 550,000 square miles, includes the Hudson Straits - Islands, Boothia and Melville Pen­ ~ insulas,and the Arctic Archipelago. ­S The Arctic Archipelago is, in turn, [2] readily divisible into a southern group and a northern group of islands by the wide straits of water known as Parry Channel, which begins in the east with Lancaster Sound and leads continuously west­ ward through Barrow Strait, Vis­ count Melville Sound, and M'Clure Strait, to the Beaufort Sea. The southern group has been consid­ ered as comprising two subdivi­ sions, an east and a west sub-group lying respectively east and west of Prince Regent Sound and the Gulf of Boothia; the islands in Hudson ! Bay were considered by Lowe (1906) to be a third distinct group within the southern Arctic Islands, Figure 1. 36 Journal of Canadian Petroleum visible in the fiord coastline of east­ the south. The highest part of the have been tilted in that direction.