Oil & Gas Facts # of Arctic Oil & Gas Wells drilled since 1947 375 New fields discovered in Beaufort-Mackenzie Delta 42 Major Pipeline Failures in N. Russia (1991-93) 103 Biggest threat to Arctic Ecosystems Tanker spills Did you know? Many scientists agree that infrastructure growth related to oil and gas exploration is incompatible with land requirements for many migratory animals. Hydrocarbon concentrations from river samples in northwestern Siberia exceed permissible limits. Thousands of gallons of crude oil spilled in the Komi Republic of Russia reached watercourses due to the failure of dams being used to contain chronic pipeline leakages. The Exxon Valdez spilled 35,000 tons of oil and was responsible for the death of approximately 250,000 birds.

Oil & Gas Exploration

The exploration, development, and transportation of oil and gas has had serious impacts on fragile Arctic ecosystems and wildlife communities. Sizeable oil and gas reserves have led to a growth in large scale extraction. Economic pressure to continue exploration forces oil and gas companies to probe ever deeper into sensitive Arctic environments. As production and therefore the need for transportation increases, more accidents are inevitable.

Large quantities of oil are transported through thousands of miles of aging pipelines over western Siberia. Many of these pipelines are in poor condition and leaks frequently occur. Damage to permafrost soils and vegetation has occurred with increasing regularity. Also, the expanding number of sea vessels carrying fuel oils represents a growing risk to the Arctic environment. Severe oil spills have already occurred in several locations causing massive contamination over large areas.

Arctic ecosystems are especially vulnerable to oil pollution as the limited sunlight and cold Arctic climate do not allow for rapid decay of organic pollutants. Hydrocarbons are likely to remain and concentrate in the flat, poorly drained soils and shallow depressions of the Arctic landscape. During spring melt, contaminants tend to follow the runoff, ending up in rivers and oceans.

Pollution from oil and gas activities can be devastating to the Arctic marine environment. Oil spills are particularly harmful to marine mammal and Arctic bird populations. When the fur of marine mammals becomes oiled, they lose heat and can die of hypothermia. When they try to groom away the oil, they ingest it, and can be poisoned. Birds that have become oil slicked lose water repellency and the ability to fly. Associated threats to the marine environment from oil and gas exploration include noise pollution (as a result of underwater testing detonations), water dispersal in the drilling phase, and the actual drilling process which can release oil and chemicals into the water.

In the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, in northern Alaska, the US administration is proposing to open areas up to oil and gas exploration and extraction. The issue is being debated at the highest political level with much pressure from local groups concerned with indigenous peoples issues and conserving the environment. The outcome will have major consequences for the local and national economy, the livelihood of local people, and local flora and fauna.