Cameron Island facts for kids
Cameron Island, Nunavut
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 Cameron Island
Location in Nunavut
Cameron Island
Location in Canada
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Arctic Ocean |
| Coordinates | 76°30′N 103°51′W / 76.500°N 103.850°W |
| Archipelago | Queen Elizabeth Islands Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
| Area | 1,059 km2 (409 sq mi) |
| Length | 42 km (26.1 mi) |
| Width | 37–38 km (23–24 mi) |
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Canada
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| Territory | Nunavut |
| Region | Qikiqtaaluk |
| Demographics | |
| Population | Uninhabited |
Cameron Island is a large island in the Arctic Ocean, part of Canada's Nunavut territory. It's one of the many islands that make up the Queen Elizabeth Islands in the far north. Cameron Island is about 1,059 square kilometers (409 sq mi) in size. That's roughly 42 to 43 kilometers (26-27 miles) long and 37 to 38 kilometers (23-24 miles) wide. It sits near Bathurst Island, and to its south is Île Vanier, separated by the Arnott Strait.
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Oil Production in the Arctic
Cameron Island is special because it was the only place in the Canadian Arctic islands where oil was produced for sale. This happened from 1985 to 1996.
How Oil Was Shipped
A special ship called the M.V. Arctic carried the oil from a place called Bent Horn on the island. This ship was built with two hulls for safety. It transported the oil all the way to Montreal.
Why Oil Production Started
Oil was first found on Cameron Island in 1974 by a company called Panarctic Oils Ltd. This discovery was important because the world needed new oil sources after the 1973 oil crisis.
Why Production Stopped
Producing oil in the Arctic is very difficult because of the harsh, cold environment. The oil field was closed down in 1996. By then, about 2.8 million barrels of oil had been produced. After the field closed, the area was cleaned up in 1999.
Protecting the Environment
Cameron Island is a very remote and rugged place with low hills. When oil exploration happened, heavy vehicles used "winter roads" made of packed snow. This helped protect the delicate land. Scientists worked to make sure the environment was not harmed too much.
One big concern was how to deal with drilling waste. Toxic muds from drilling were pumped into special pits dug into the permafrost (permanently frozen ground). These pits were designed to seal in the waste as the ground froze back.
Naming of Cameron Island
Cameron Island was named in 1952. It was named after Maxwell George Cameron, who was a chief mapmaker. He worked for the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys until he passed away in 1951.
See also
