Arne Nielsen was a petroleum geologist and senior corporate executive. He discovered the Pembina Cardium oil field near Devon, Alberta in 1953. Arne Nielsen became President and GM of Mobil Oil Canada, then Chairman and CEO of Canadian Superior Oil, and was twice Chairman of the Canadian Petroleum Association. He was co-architect of the energy policies adopted by the Mulroney government after the contentious National Energy Program. He lived in Calgary, Alberta, until his death in 2013.