Prudhoe Bay: Industry Legends

I have one bit of ARCO information I would like to pass along to our ARCO family.  We at ARCO are all proud of our great heritage from Robert O. Anderson of Richfield and Thornton Bradshaw of Atlantic and many others including Harry Jamison, premier ARCO geologist.  He and all the other great geoscientists and engineers and landmen that were involved in the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field discovery and development deserve our most sincere thanks.  Anyone interested in getting a first hand look at the history and details of the Prudhoe Bay discovery can do so by going to AAPG GeoLegends: Harry Jamison for an excellent series of four interviews given by Mr. Jamison.  He lays out the detailed history and events that led to the discovery.   The pathway to discovery was very trying and discouraging at times in the early drilling years but the Richfield – Humble (later ARCO) geological/geophysical model prevailed which culminated in the Prudhoe Bay State #1 discovery well in May, 1967 and the Sag. River State #1 confirmation well in 1968.  The ultimate prize and pride for this Mega Giant Prudhoe Bay Oil Field discovery belongs to that wonderful team of “ARCO” personnel led by Mr. Jamison.  Mr. Jamison is certainly a legend in the oil and gas industry and his wonderful leadership ability and kind personality were keys to that success.  His leadership and kindness were felt by all of us at ARCO that worked for him.  I’d just like to say thanks to Mr. Jamison for all he means to me as an ARCO geologist and for all the dedicated years he gave to Richfield and ARCO and the oil and gas industry.  I’d also like to thank the AAPG for providing  us with this series of  wonderful, informative interviews.  This series of interviews provides a very personal connection to one of the greatest achievements in the history of the U.S. oil and gas industry.

AAPG Geolegends Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4