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Donald Prior

 Arctic Experience
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Panarctic Oils
Ellesmere Island
Axel Heiberg Island
Melville Island

Mobil Oil Canada
Fort Simpson
Wrigley
Little Doctor Lake
Bell Weather Lake


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The Dancing Bears
    This picture was taken on the ice near Tuktoyaktuk by Cap'n Eddie.
Don Prior conducted geological  mapping for Panarctic Oils in the early days of Arctic oil exploration. He lived in a tent camp on Ellesmere Island near the small weather/communication post of Eureka.

The camp consisted of geologists doing field mapping of the Arctic Islands and Geophysicists who where conducting a gravity survey on Ellesmere Island.

Arctic Islands accommodations July


Conditions in the Arctic Islands were not exactly primitive but they certainly were not comfortable. The ability to cope with the environment and physical conditions proved to be an asset for those who managed to remain for the duration of the project. Experience in hash conditions proved to be an asset in later years in the oil patch.   Nothing subsequently was really extreme when compared to the Arctic.

NW Territories transportation

Don Prior also conducted geology field mapping on the Arctic mainland for Mobil Oil Canada. He was based at Little Doctor Lake approximately 120 miles west of Fort Simpson. From this camp, mapping was carried out through the Nahanni Range including the Headless Valley and Johnson Falls areas. These extended field operations helped to refine Don Prior's logistics and administration abilities. A total lack of facilities generated a need for total commitment and reliability which could not be emphasized to this degree under less severe conditions.

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