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Drilling for oil in the Arctic: risks and rewards

Drilling for oil in the Arctic: risks and rewards. Fran Ulmer Chair, US Arctic Research Commission UNH Oil Spill Forum October 2014. Rapidly changing Arctic. Less sea ice Warmer temperatures Thawing permafrost Vulnerable species Increased human activity

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Drilling for oil in the Arctic: risks and rewards

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  1. Drilling for oil in the Arctic: risks and rewards Fran Ulmer Chair, US Arctic Research Commission UNH Oil Spill Forum October 2014

  2. Rapidly changing Arctic • Less sea ice • Warmer temperatures • Thawing permafrost • Vulnerable species • Increased human activity • International interest

  3. Economics…major driver for Arctic change • Region is increasingly accessible due to technological advances and climate change • Increasing global demand for resources • Arctic is resource rich

  4. Potential Arctic Shipping Routes = Chokepoint Thule AB Bering Strait

  5. Arctic has much of world’s remaining “undiscovered” oil and gas 13% oil 30% natural gas 20% natural gas liquids 2009 USGS CARA report

  6. Energy companies active in the Arctic Rosneft Novatek Gazprom Statoil Nunaoil Exxon Shell Conoco-Phillips BP ENI And many others

  7. Oil and Gas Development

  8. Challenges of working in extreme environments: cold, dark, remote, little infrastructure • Severe & cold weather requires specially designed equipment & vessels & training • Inadequate aids to navigation and marine charts • Changing soil conditions (permafrost) • Some deposits are hazardous (gas hydrates) • Limited airports, marine ports & exportation options; long supply lines & extensive transport • High costs to develop reserves • Distant and limited USCG assets

  9. What does this mean to Arctic residents? Impacts to subsistence foods and cultural practices Impacts to coastal villages and basic infrastructure Possible regional/village economic opportunities

  10. Many different expectations Local people want no negative environmental impact, respect for local subsistence activities, local jobs and business opportunities, shared revenues and services People more remote from the region may be more interested in general economic activity/state revenues and domestically produced oil and gas Shareholders, small businesses, unions, scientists, environmentalists, regulators, others… all have expectations Concern about oil spills

  11. …oil spills in ice-covered waters… UNCLASSIFIED

  12. Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Commission: Recommendations for the Arctic • Drill with utmost care: sensitive Arctic environment • Develop comprehensive research program: scientific information • Lead in developing int’l drilling standards: best practices • Raise liability cap • Address gaps: • Oil-spill response • Containment • Search and rescue

  13. What’s happened since DWH? BSEE/BOEM/ONNR SEMS Regs adopted DOI’s Energy Coordination Increased research $ in Arctic ICCOPR revitalized NOAA’s Arctic ERMA Arctic Specific Regs developed BSEE finished “Oil Spill Response Gap in Arctic” National Arctic Strategy adopted

  14. ICCOPR, IARPC, NRC, Industry research efforts have increased • Reports have been produced • Conferences are being held • International efforts, like Arctic Council, IMO and Barents 2020

  15. The Arctic Council Ottawa Declaration 1996 • Forum to provide cooperation, coordination and interaction among the 8 Arctic States, Permanent Participants, Observers • Projects on sustainable development and environmental protection in the Arctic • Six working groups that focus collaborative research • Negotiated agreements on SAR and oil spill response

  16. Arctic Offshore Oil and Gas Guidelines (PAME) Guidelines for Transfer of Refined Oil in Arctic (PAME) Systems Safety Management and Safety Culture (PAME) Guide on Oil Spill Response in Snow and Ice (EPPR) Recommended Practices for Arctic Oil Spill Prevention (EPPR) Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (PAME 2009) and Implementation Report (2013) and IMO Polar Code

  17. Bilateral cooperation: Norway and Russia

  18. Barents 2020 Project Develop standards to be used internationally to ensure safe oil, gas and maritime operations in the Barents Sea for people, environment & asset values Create predictable HSE framework for companies and contractors regardless of nationality 7 teams of international experts worked together with DNV (plus Norwegian Foreign Affairs Ministry, Rosneft, Statoil, and many more)

  19. Prevention: reduce risk Arctic standards appropriate to the circumstances and level of risk ( probability + consequence) Industry led safety culture enhancement and data sharing (build on COS and examples like Barents 2020) Identification of important ecological areas and protection strategies (avoid, minimize, mitigate hierarchy) Increased investment in technology, training, protocols, communication, infrastructure, capacity and regulatory competency/effectiveness Incorporate performance based regulatory approach Cooperation in all aspects of prevention, preparation and response at all levels of gov’t and industry

  20. 4 million people live in the Arctic

  21. US Arctic Research Commission • Environmental Change • Arctic Human Health • Civil Infrastructure • Natural Resource Assessment & Earth Science • Indigenous Languages, Identities, Cultures

  22. USARC’s daily “Arctic Update” newsletter Subscribe at: www.arctic.gov

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