Safety Aspects of Offshore Oil and Gas Operations in Arctic and Sub-Arctic Waters
The Arctic is a vast region that encompasses over one-sixth of the global landmass, and spans over thirty million square kilometres and twenty-four time zones. The global community has begun to give increasing attention to this northern expanse, as the warming temperatures are melting the polar ice...
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| Language: | English |
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Publications Office of the European Union
2019
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| Online Access: | https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC114560 https://doi.org/10.2760/866261 |
| Summary: | The Arctic is a vast region that encompasses over one-sixth of the global landmass, and spans over thirty million square kilometres and twenty-four time zones. The global community has begun to give increasing attention to this northern expanse, as the warming temperatures are melting the polar ice caps.As sea ice recedes, the Arctic gradually offers increased access to natural resources and longer navigation seasons, arising global expectations for future economic exploitation of the region. The oil and gas industry is also very much interested in carrying out explorations as it is estimated that the Arctic contains 20% of the World’s undiscovered, yet recoverable, hydrocarbon reserves.Exploiting natural resources in the Arctic and sub-Arctic areas involves managing a number of risks which become even more severe when operating in a highly sensitive environment and extreme weather conditions (cold, dark, wind, ice, etc.).The Arctic remains the most expensive region on Earth for resource exploration and exploitation for a number of reasons. Assets must be specially designed to withstand the extremely rigid temperatures, transportation of materials and equipment is extremely expensive due to the remoteness of the operations’ areas, higher salaries are required to induce highly qualified personnel to work in such inhospitable regions. Finally, following the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, regulations on offshore drilling have been tightened, thereby limiting access and increasing costs further.This report intends to be a compendium for regulators and an informative reading for the community about the risks of oil and gas exploration and exploitation in Arctic waters, the instruments that are needed to reduce as much as possible such risks as well as the emergency response and mitigation measures that have to be in place to minimise the consequences of accidents. JRC.C.3 - Energy Security, Distribution and Markets |
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