Changing Spill Risk in a Changing Arctic Landscape
Industry analyst and environmental consultant Dagmar Schmidt Etkin, PhD, takes a hard look at a rapidly shifting operational landscape in the Arctic. Always an honest broker of information, Etkin tells it like it is. Oil spill risk is present anywhere that oil is present in reservoirs, or is transported, consumed, stored, and handled in some way. The Arctic is no exception. Not only are there oil reserves in the Arctic, some of which are being or will soon be considered for exploration and production, there is also oil being transported as cargo or as fuel to Arctic communities.
Russia Claims Ownership of the Arctic and North Pole
Russia, led by President Vladimir Putin, has re-submitted its petition to the United Nations claiming exclusive control over 1.2 million square kms (463,000 square miles) of the Arctic sea shelf, based this time on what its foreign ministry calls “ample scientific data”, reports CSM and Reuters. Rich in natural resources, the Arctic is a potential arena for the clash of geopolitical interests of the Arctic states. This is the second time Russia has staked its claim to what it sees as its territory. Earlier in 2002, the UN rejected the bid on lack of evidence. The move comes in the midst of a five-way competition between Russia, Canada…
The Arctic: Emerging Maritime Frontier
The Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, Admiral Bob Papp, Jr. spoke of the Arctic as an emerging frontier during the 2013 State of the Coast Guard Address in February 2013. He said, “… one example of what our future holds can be seen in the emerging frontier of the Arctic, where there is a new ocean appearing. In September 2012, we observed the lowest sea ice extent in recorded history, and there are vast areas of open water where there used to be ice…As the receding ice increasingly gives way to commercial ventures…
Arctic Economic Potential: Scholarly Briefing Published
The need for a comprehensive and risk-aware understanding of Arctic dynamics before proceding with development is emphasised in a recent research paper. The melting of the Arctic is expected to offer prospects for maritime transport and hydrocarbon exploitation that could potentially create an Arctic economic boom. In principle, more accessible Arctic sea routes could offer substantial savings in logistics between Asian, American and European markets when compared to the current global maritime trade routes via the Panama and Suez Canals. It is estimated that as much as 13 per cent of undiscovered oil deposits and 30 per cent of undiscovered gas deposits on the globe are located in the Arctic area.
