Arctic Ocean's petroleum resources
The Arctic Ocean, covering approximately 14 million square kilometers, is a largely unexplored region believed to hold substantial petroleum resources. According to estimates, it may contain around 30% of the world's undiscovered natural gas and up to 13% of undiscovered oil, with a significant portion located offshore. Global warming is making these resources more accessible due to the retreating ice, but this situation raises concerns about environmental degradation and political tensions among Arctic nations. As countries like Russia, Canada, Norway, and Denmark submit territorial claims to extend their continental shelves, disputes over these valuable resources could escalate.
Additionally, the reduction in ice cover not only facilitates oil and gas extraction but also opens up new shipping routes, significantly shortening travel distances between major global ports. However, the delicate Arctic ecosystem faces threats from climate change and potential oil spills, which can have long-lasting effects on marine life and biodiversity. The balance between economic development and environmental protection is a critical issue in discussions surrounding Arctic petroleum resources, highlighting the complexity of managing this vulnerable region.
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Arctic Ocean's petroleum resources
Summary: The Arctic is one of the few pristine areas in the world. However, global warming and consequent easier access to the region, including its petroleum resources, are threats to this vulnerable ecosystem. Several variables are at stake: economic, environmental, and political.
The Arctic Ocean is centered on the North Pole and has an area of approximately 14 million square kilometers, almost 1.5 times the size of the United States, reaching a maximum depth of 15,300 feet (4,665 meters) in the Fram Basin. The central part of this ocean is covered with ice. The name of the Arctic Ocean originated in the Greek word arktos (meaning “bear”), due to its location in the north, under the constellation of the Great Bear.
The seabed of the Arctic may constitute the largest unexplored area for petroleum resources remaining on Earth. According to a study performed by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2008, the Arctic accounts for around 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered natural gas, 20 percent of undiscovered natural gas liquids, and 13 percent of undiscovered oil. Almost 85 percent of these resources are believed to exist offshore, in the seabed of the ocean. Global warming and the receding polar ice cap make those resources increasingly accessible. Although many of the potential areas containing undiscovered resources lie in undisputed locations, there are a number of areas subject to overlapping claims by neighboring nations, creating the possibility for political tensions. Some of these disputed areas have received global media attention. For example, when Russian exploratory divers placed a titanium Russian flag in the seabed on the Lomonosov Ridge in 2007, there was an international reaction that brought speculations about a new Cold War; Russia claimed the area, asserting it to be part of its continental shelf, although it was far from the Russian mainland, and other nations, including Canada and Denmark, were exploring it as well.
Traditionally, countries manage their resources within 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) of their coastlines, but territorial claims may be extended if their continental shelves extend farther from the shore. Denmark, Norway, and Russia have submitted applications to the United Nations to extend the limits of their continental shelves, and it is expected that Canada and United States will also try to redefine their limits to include the seabed beyond 200 nautical miles.
Less ice means easier access. With climate change has come melting Arctic ice, opening the way not only for petroleum extraction but also for increased commercial shipping in the region. The Northwest Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through northern Canada, was ice-free in the summer of 2007 for the first time in recorded history. Savings in transportation would be enormous if the Arctic routes were open for longer periods. Traveling from New York to Tokyo by the Northwest Passage represents a savings of 2,600 miles less than is required by way of the Panama Canal. Also, traveling from London to Tokyo by the northern sea route (or Northeast Passage) represents 5,000 miles less in comparison with the route through the Suez Canal. In addition, the so-called Arctic Bridge could be used, directly linking Russian and Norwegian ports to Canada.
However, regular access to the North Pole and its resources raises not only political issues but environmental ones as well. The Arctic is considered one of the few pristine areas in the world, but it is particularly vulnerable to environmental change. This region is already severely affected by global warming, let alone the impacts it is likely to experience if oil drilling and shipping increase. Moreover, in this part of the planet there are few species and consequently simpler food webs. The distribution and abundance of certain organisms on the basis of these simple food chains, adapted for life at the sea-ice edge, will diminish as it moves northward. Fish are also affected, including the polar cod, a key food source for several marine mammals. Also, climate change poses risks to biodiversity beyond the impact on forage bases. For instance, the polar bears, seals, and walruses are heavily dependent on the ice for feeding, resting, and other vital activities. In 2021, two environmental groups, Greenpeace Nordic and Young Friends of the Earth, sued the Norweigian government for granting licenses to explore for oil and gas within the Arctic Circle.
Conclusion
It is also worth noting that the Arctic is considered to be one of the most vulnerable areas in the world in terms of oil spills. Oil becomes trapped in the ice and decomposes slowly in the cold Arctic environmental conditions.
For some players, climate change in the Arctic Ocean represents a dilemma: On one hand, it opens up new possibilities to mine petroleum and other resources and market them commercially; on the other hand, it threatens severe consequences for this pristine ecosystem and the world’s biodiversity.
Bibliography
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Fissel, D. B., et al. “Long-Term Trends for Sea Ice in the Western Arctic Ocean.” Proceedings of the International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, 9 Sept. 2011.
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"Who Owns the Arctic and Should They Drill for Oil and Gas?" BBC, 28 Apr. 2022, www.bbc.com/news/world-61222653. Accessed 31 July 2024.