Fisheries committee  We would have looked--potentially looked--for alternative vessels to help us conduct those operations. As part of some of the data collection that we'd already done...we use a lot of aerial surveys, and we've worked with the DFO on aerial surveys, for example, and collaborated in that regard for some of our mammal watch surveys.

Fisheries committee  Some of the data would have been required. The data that we collected wouldn't have been as exhaustive and as comprehensive as we've been able to acquire. Again, that's the great thing about a collaboration like this. It allows you to maximize the amount of information and data that we can collect.

Fisheries committee  That's an excellent question. The boat is predominantly staffed by ArcticNet staff. We certainly had some of our scientists on board. I would say that we had between two and five scientists on board during some of the phases of the program.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Donnelly, again I would just repeat that we didn't contract the Canadian Coast gGard ship Amundsen. We are in collaboration with ArcticNet. We have a five-year agreement with ArcticNet. I believe part of the mission for ArcticNet is to collect scientific data, and it's not just focused on climate change.

Fisheries committee  I think your question is a good one, Mr. Donnelly. I would respond by saying that unfortunately those perceptions may be out there, but we would come back to the fact that we were in collaboration with ArcticNet, and our objective was to increase the scientific knowledge and the environmental knowledge of the Beaufort Sea.

Fisheries committee  Thank you, Mr. Blais. When you explain yourself like that, wanting more information, I think that's wonderful. I'm perfectly willing to share as much information as we have the time to share today, understanding the limitations on the time we have together. Why are we willing to cooperate in the Arctic?

Fisheries committee  The licence awarded to us is called an exploration licence, and we have the licence for nine years. There is significant risk in the work we do. We never really know until we've done our technical analysis whether there is something there that we might want to drill. We're always faced with the issue that we might do all this work—Anita mentioned the seismic program that BP undertook for their block, and we did a similar program in 2008—and after we've acquired that data we might not see anything on the data that gives us encouragement, at all.

Fisheries committee  Yes, it is. It's shared with ArcticNet and it's shared with all the members of the ArcticNet consortium. We've also shared it with local communities. We've shared it at conferences. We will continue to share it with any federal agency that requires it.

Fisheries committee  Yes.

Fisheries committee  Yes.

Fisheries committee  Maybe I can help you with some of the background so you have a context.

Fisheries committee  Thank you. When we acquire seismic--and we acquire marine seismic globally--we use our global experience to help us with these seismic problems. One of the things we do is to have a boat sail, and behind this boat we have eight streamers, and they collect the seismic data. In other areas of the world, these streamers are filled with gels because there are no issues with ice.

Fisheries committee  Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the committee, my name is Michael Peacock, and I am a geologist by training. I hold the position or title of Canadian exploration manager for Imperial Oil. I am a registered professional geoscientist with APEGGA. APEGGA is the Association of Petroleum Engineers, Geologists and Geophysicists of Alberta.