Recommendations on Oil Spill Prevention, Response and Safety in the Arctic Ocean
The Pew Charitable Trusts has recently issued a new report entitled as ”Arctic Standards: Recommendations on Oil Spill Prevention, Response and Safety in the US Arctic Ocean” analysing the Alaska-sized challenges confronting oil companies that do business in the region and calls on federal regulators to impose baseline standards that would govern offshore oil and gas activity at the top of the world.
What Are Arctic StandardsArctic OCS (Outer Continental Shelf) standards would provide consistent requirements on how to design, build, install, and operate equipment to safely explore and develop oil and gas resources and respond to accidents in the region using best Arctic science, technology, and practices. Arctic standards should account for the area’s remote location, lack of infrastructure, and unique operating conditions due to the severe and changing climate to ensure that oil spills are prevented and the capability exists to respond to a worst-case oil spill. These are some of the changes that Pew recommends:
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Pew believes that decisions about whether, where, and how oil and gas exploration and production activities are conducted in the U.S. Arctic Ocean should be based on sound scientific information, thorough planning, the best available technology, and full involvement of the communities most affected. A balanced and careful approach to development must account for environmental protection and the social, cultural, and subsistence needs of Alaska communities. |
Arctic Seasonal Drilling Limits
Icy Conditions reduce the efficacy of oil spill response most of the year
Image Credit: The Pew Charitable Trusts
Arctic policy and management decisions should be based on three core principles:
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The Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration, Development and Production Process
The flow chart shows a simplified view of the process, with each step requiring a set of additional permits and approvals
Image Credit: The Pew Charitable Trusts
For more information, please dowload the report