Resource Issues
Natural gas in the Arctic is mostly Russian
(Randolph E. Schmid/AP, 28 May 2009) -- WASHINGTON - Nearly one-third of the natural gas yet to be discovered in the world is north of the Arctic Circle and most of it is in Russian territory, according to a new analysis led by researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey. "These findings suggest that in the future the ... pre-eminence of Russian strategic control of gas resources in particular is likely to be accentuated and extended," said Donald L. Gautier, lead author of the study published in Friday's edition of the journal Science. Russia is already the world's leading natural gas producer, noted Gautier, of the Geological Survey's office in Menlo Park, Calif. The report, by an international scientific team, estimated that the Arctic also contains between 3 and 4 percent of the world's oil resources remaining to be discovered. Two-thirds of the undiscovered gas is in just four areas—South Kara Sea, North Barents Basin, South Barents Basin and the Alaska Platform—the report said. Indeed, the South Kara Sea off Siberia contains 39 percent of the Arctic's undiscovered gas, the researchers said.
Posted 28 May 2009; 9:47:25 PM. Permalink
Tagged: Arctic Ocean, Circumpolar News, Economic and Commerce Issues, International, Research / Reports, Resource Issues
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