parkave,
That is a little unfair.
Exploration success is a lumpy business, and if you look just a couple of years earlier you"ll see there was a step change up, due to success under the same management.
Whilst I"d agree drillbit success has been largely elusive the past 4 years, there is not one move except the aborted NXS one, on which I would fault Eric strategically or dealwise.
EL