Hazen Strait

The Hazen Strait ( 77°00′N110°30′W / 77.000°N 110.500°W / 77.000; -110.500 (Hazen Strait) ) is a natural waterway through the Queen Elisabeth Islands in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. ^{[1] [2]} It separates Mackenzie King Island in the Northwest Territories (to the north) from Melville Island's Cape George Richards on the Sabine Peninsula in Nunavut (to the south). ^{[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8]} All of the islands that Hazen Strait separates are uninhabited. ^{[9] [10]} Vesey Hamilton Island is located in the middle of Hazen Strait towards the Nunavut side. ^{[7] [11]} Hazen Strait is near to the Hecla and Griper Bay in Melville Island. ^{[7] [12]} As of 2000 ^[update] , no land on any of the 3 islands bordering the Hazen Strait are Inuit owned, and none of the islands are inhabited permanently. ^{[9] [13]}

Hazen Strait is frozen over 9-10 months of the year, with some winter ice near the south coast of Mackenzie King Island remaining year-round per a 1962 survey. ^{[14] [15]} The strait is also fairly dense with ice, with the ice discharge towards the southeast being minimal. ^[15] The area around the strait is thought to have 4 bbl of oil and 56 tcf of natural gas under it, and directly under the strait are the Whitefish and Roche Point natural gas fields. ^{[16] [17]}

The Hazen Strait VFR/VNC area is named after Hazen Strait. ^[18] The Hazen marine area is located in the Western Arctic marine region, and covers around half of the Hazen Strait proper. ^{[19] [20]} The other half of the strait falls under the Ballantyne marine area. ^[20]

References

1. "Marine Regions · Hazen Strait (Strait)". marineregions.org. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
2. "Hazen Strait". Geogratis Canada. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
3. "Salt Domes on Melville Island". earthobservatory.nasa.gov. 2006-08-27. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
4. Jenness, Stuart E. (2011-01-01). Stefansson, Dr. Anderson and the Canadian Arctic Expedition, 1913-1918: A story of exploration, science and sovereignty. University of Ottawa Press. ISBN   978-1-77282-418-6.
5. Miall, Andrew (2008-12-03). The Sedimentary Basins of the United States and Canada. Elsevier. ISBN   978-0-08-092936-1.
6. "079C - HAZEN STRAIT - Topographic Map". MAPTOWN. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
7. "079B - SABINE PENINSULA - Topographic Map". MAPTOWN. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
8. Department of Mines and Technical Surveys (1961). "Map of Canada" (PDF). Statistics Canada. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
9. "Mackenzie King Island - FamousFix.com post". FamousFix.com. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
10. "Melville Island | Swoop Arctic". www.swoop-arctic.com. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
11. "Open Science and Data Platform - Plateforme de science et de données ouvertes". osdp-psdo.canada.ca. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
12. Government of Canada, Natural Resources Canada. "Place names - Hecla and Griper Bay". geonames.nrcan.gc.ca. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
13. Kilian, Glen (2000). "Inuit Owned Lands in Nunavut" (PDF). Qikiqtani Inuit Association. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
14. Lopez, Barry (2024-07-23). Arctic Dreams. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-6680-8002-3.
15. Black, W. A. (1965). Sea-Ice Survey, Queen Elizabeth Islands Region, Summer 1962 (PDF). Department of Mines and Technical Surveys. p. 34.
16. Zedalis, Rex J. (2017-03-02). International Energy Law: Rules Governing Future Exploration, Exploitation and Use of Renewable Resources. Routledge. ISBN   978-1-351-92689-8.
17. "Nunavut's Inactive Oil & Gas Licenses" (PDF). Government of Nunavut. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
18. "Hazen Strait VNC - Air 5048". VIP Pilot Centre Inc. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
19. Environment Canada (2013-04-16). "Hazen - Western Arctic - Environment Canada". weather.gc.ca. Retrieved 2025-03-12.
20. Environment Canada (2013-04-16). "Arctic - Western Arctic - Marine Weather - Environment Canada". weather.gc.ca. Retrieved 2025-03-12.