Off-shore oil and gas developments in Alaska: impacts and conflicts

Polar Record ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 17 (108) ◽  
pp. 255-275 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Rogers
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Gulf Of Alaska ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
The North ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska ◽  
Arctic Coast ◽  
Prudhoe Bay

After three years' delay, work started early in 1974 on the construction of the trans-Alaska pipeline from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic coast of Alaska 1 270 km to Valdez on the Gulf of Alaska (Ronhovde. 1974). Within three years, the line should be delivering 1.2 million barrels per day, a volume that will be increased eventually to a daily flow of 2 million barrels. Gas production on the North Slope of Alaska will probably be exported through Canada to the United States through a 4 184-km pipeline that will cost an estimated $5.7 billion and, if built, will be one of the largest construction projects ever undertaken; the system will also carry Canadian Arctic gas to southern markets. The size of these projects is in themselves impressive, and they have been spawned and are being launched in an atmosphere of controversy and confusion that, in its different way, is equally impressive.

scholarly journals Ecological risks during offshore construction of oil platforms

2020 ◽  
Vol 217 ◽  
pp. 04002
Author(s):  
Ksenia Derevtsova ◽  
Vladislav Ginevskii ◽  
Gleb Kataev ◽  
Semion Kim ◽  
Polina Veselova
Keyword(s):  
Natural Resources ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Oil Pollution ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Arctic Seas ◽  
The North ◽  
Low Culture

The article tells about the risks of low-culture construction of oil facilities on the Arctic shelf. The long-term, practically neglected exploitation of the unique natural resources of the Russian North and the low culture of their development led in a number of its regions, including the waters of the Arctic seas with islands, to an emergency ecological situation - the partial and sometimes complete destruction of the fragile Arctic natural habitat of the small peoples of the North and the created cities and villages. Without proper environmental support, economic activities continue in the field of extraction, transportation and processing of natural resources. The progressive pollution of rivers and lakes leads to a qualitative depletion of water resources - a change in the composition of the waters of the Arctic Ocean. The danger of oil pollution of the marine environment is associated with plans for its production on the continental shelf of the Russian Federation. The oil and gas production complex in the Russian Arctic regions are being formed on the basis of already discovered fields and will develop as other promising fields are developed.

Methane emissions from oil and gas production on the North Slope of Alaska

2019 ◽  
Vol 218 ◽  
pp. 116985
Author(s):  
Cody Floerchinger ◽  
Kathryn McKain ◽  
Timothy Bonin ◽  
Jeff Peischl ◽  
Sébastien C. Biraud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Methane Emissions ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
North Slope ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
The North ◽  
North Slope Of Alaska

scholarly journals ARCTIC AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTHERN SEA ROUT IN THE INSTITUTIONAL MODERNIZATION OF RUSSIAN ECONOMY

Federalism ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 5-23
Author(s):  
N. S. Stepanov
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
High Capacity ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Container Terminals ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Legal Rights ◽  
Production Plant ◽  
The North ◽  
Northern Sea Route ◽  
Large Container

Interest to the territory of the Arctic can be explained due to its great natural resources — water, energy, mineral and the prospects for the mastering of these resources and the development of the Northern Sea Route (NSR), the transformation of this infrastructure project into a convenient global transport artery with a competitive potential. Although the division of the Arctic into sectors was accepted by the world community in 1926, the latest discoveries of the largest oil and gas fields radically changed the situation — a fierce struggle began for the recognition of the legal rights of certain individual circumpolar states, including Russia, over these stocks. Environmental problems are particularly acute, since the natural environment is the basis of life for the indigenous peoples of the North. A number of specialized international organizations were created with the aim to protect the unique natural landscape of the arctic northern polar zone. Special attention is paid to the origins and the present situation with the icebreaker fleet, organizational and legal problems, constraining transits and regional transportation along the Northern Sea Route and its subsequent fate. As a positive example of international cooperation, the paper indicates to the commissioning of the «Yamal SPG» liquefied gas production plant and to the construction of the Sabetta seaport. Now the bottleneck of the infrastructure of the NSR is the shortage of ports, capable of accept high-capacity vessels and equipped with large container terminals.

To the issue of application of thermoplastic reinforced pipes for the construction of oil and gas pipelines in the Arctic

2020 ◽  
pp. 88-99
Author(s):  
A. A. Tolmachev ◽  
V. A. Ivanov ◽  
T. G. Ponomareva
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Hydrocarbon Production ◽  
Environmental Disasters ◽  
The North ◽  
Reinforcing Fibers ◽  
Wear And Tear ◽  
Oil And Gas Companies ◽  
Reinforcing Layer

Ensuring the safety of oil and gas facilities and increasing their facility life are today one of the most important tasks. Emergencies related to rupture and damage of steel pipelines because of their wear and tear and external factors are still the most frequent cases of emergencies during the transportation of hydrocarbons. To expand the fuel and energy complex in the north, in the direction of the Arctic, alternative types of pipelines are needed that solve the problems of reducing energy and labor costs in oil and gas companies, reducing the risk of environmental disasters and depressurization of pipelines during hydrocarbon production. Fiber-reinforced thermoplastic pipes can be such an alternative. This article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the materials of a composite system consisting of a thermoplastic pipe (inner layer) and reinforcing fibers (outer layer); we are discussing the design of the structural system consisting of polyethylene (inner layer) and aramid fibers (outer reinforcing layer).

The Last Interglaciation in Northeast Siberia

1995 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 147-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anatoly V. Lozhkin ◽  
Patricia M. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
General Circulation ◽  
General Circulation Models ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
The North ◽  
River Terraces ◽  
Atmospheric General Circulation ◽  
Winter Temperatures ◽  
Atmospheric General Circulation Models ◽  
Arctic Coast ◽  
Organic Deposits

AbstractAlluvial, fluvial, and organic deposits of the last interglaciation are exposed along numerous river terraces in northeast Siberia. Although chronological control is often poor, the paleobotanical data suggest range extensions of up to 1000 km for the primary tree species. These data also indicate that boreal communities of the last interglaciation were similar to modern ones in composition, but their distributions were displaced significantly to the north-northwest. Inferences about climate of this period suggest that mean July temperatures were warmer by 4 to 8°C, and seasonal precipitation was slightly greater. Mean January temperatures may have been severely cooler than today (up to 12°C) along the Arctic coast, but similar or slightly warmer than present in other areas. The direction and magnitude of change in July temperatures agree with Atmospheric General Circulation Models, but the 126,000-year-B.P. model results also suggest trends opposite to the paleobotanical data, with simulated cooler winter temperatures and drier conditions than present during the climatic optimum.

Structural Integrity System Based on an Object-Oriented Activity- and Product Model

1993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Lovstad ◽  
Tor G. Syvertsen
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Structural Integrity ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Physical Structure ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Structural Safety ◽  
Actual State ◽  
Product Model ◽  
The North ◽  
Analysis Models

Abstract Huge steel or reinforced concrete structures in deep waters support the installations for oil and gas production in the North Sea. Steady operations in a hostile environment require that structural safety and integrity is maintained. For rapid evaluation and assessment of structural integrity in case of modifications or urgency situations, Structural Integrity Systems are established, comprising computational models and structural analysis programs. A major problem for structural assessment at short notice is to keep the analysis models updated and consistent with the actual state of the physical structure and the loadings. This paper proposes a layered approach for model integration, which enable maintenance of the models at a high level, from which detailed analysis models are derived in a consistent manner.

Access and Logistics Challenges in Mountain Terrain Pipeline Projects

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark McDougall ◽  
Ken Williamson
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Large Diameter ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Additional Time ◽  
Oil And Gas Production ◽  
Road Design ◽  
Regulatory Constraints ◽  
The Right

Oil and gas production in Canada’s west has led to the need for a significant increase in pipeline capacity to reach export markets. Current proposals from major oil and gas transportation companies include numerous large diameter pipelines across the Rocky Mountains to port locations on the coast of British Columbia (BC), Canada. The large scale of these projects and the rugged terrain they cross lead to numerous challenges not typically faced with conventional cross-country pipelines across the plains. The logistics and access challenges faced by these mountain pipeline projects require significant pre-planning and assessment, to determine the timing, cost, regulatory and environmental impacts. The logistics of pipeline construction projects mainly encompasses the transportation of pipe and pipeline materials, construction equipment and supplies, and personnel from point of manufacture or point of supply to the right-of-way (ROW) or construction area. These logistics movement revolve around the available types of access routes and seasonal constraints. Pipeline contractors and logistics companies have vast experience in moving this type of large equipment, however regulatory constraints and environmental restrictions in some locations will lead to significant pre-planning, permitting and additional time and cost for material movement. In addition, seasonal constraints limit available transportation windows. The types of access vary greatly in mountain pipeline projects. In BC, the majority of off-highway roads and bridges were originally constructed for the forestry industry, which transports logs downhill whereas the pipeline industry transports large equipment and pipeline materials in both directions and specifically hauls pipe uphill. The capacity, current state and location of these off-highway roads must be assessed very early in the process to determine viability and/or potential options for construction access. Regulatory requirements, environmental restrictions, season of use restrictions and road design must all be considered when examining the use of or upgrade of existing access roads and bridges. These same restrictions are even more critical to the construction of new access roads and bridges. The logistics and access challenges facing the construction of large diameter mountain pipelines in Western Canada can be managed with proper and timely planning. The cost of the logistics and access required for construction of these proposed pipeline projects will typically be greater than for traditional pipelines, but the key constraint is the considerable time requirement to construct the required new access and pre-position the appropriate material to meet the construction schedule. The entire project team, including design engineers, construction and logistics planners, and material suppliers must be involved in the planning stages to ensure a cohesive strategy and schedule. This paper will present the typical challenges faced in access and logistics for large diameter mountain pipelines, and a process for developing a comprehensive plan for their execution.

scholarly journals Revised Estimation Method for Emissions from Automated Plunger Lift Liquid Unloadings

Environments ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Adam Pacsi ◽  
David W. Sullivan ◽  
David T. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Direct Measurement ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Measurement Data ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gas Production ◽  
Small Subset ◽  
Emission Estimate ◽  
National Measurement ◽  
The Individual

A variety of liquid unloading techniques are used to clear accumulated liquids from the wellbore to increase production rates for oil and gas wells. Data from national measurement studies indicate that a small subset of wells with plunger lift assist, that vent with high frequency and short event duration, contribute a significant fraction of methane emissions from liquid unloading activities in the United States. Compared to direct measurement of emissions at 24 wells in a field campaign, the most commonly used engineering emission estimate for this source category, which is based on the volume of gas in the wellbore, does not accurately predict emissions at the individual well (R2 = 0.06). An alternative emission estimate is proposed that relies on the duration of the venting activity and the gas production rate of the well, which has promising statistical performance characteristics when compared to direct measurement data. This work recommends well parameters that should be collected from future field measurement campaigns that are focused on this emission source.

scholarly journals OFFENSIVE STRUCTURAL REALISM AND RUSSIAN EXPANSION IN THE ARCTIC

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon C. Halaychik
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
Russian Federation ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Structural Realism ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Russian Government ◽  
The North ◽  
The Russian Federation

The Russian Federations drive to reestablish itself as a global power has severe security implications for the United States, its Arctic neighbors, and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a whole. The former Commander of United States Naval Forces Europe Admiral Mark Ferguson noted that the re-militarization of Russian security policy in the Arctic is one of the most significant developments in the twenty-first century adding that Russia is creating an “Arc of steel from the Arctic to the Mediterranean” (Herbst 2016, 166). Although the Russian Federation postulates its expansion into the Arctic is for purely economic means, the reality of the military hardware being placed in the region by the Russians tells otherwise. Implementation of military hardware such as anti-air defenses is contrary to the stipulated purposes of the Russian Government in the region. Therefore is the Russian Federation building strategic military bases in the Arctic to challenge the United States hegemony due to the mistreatment against the Russians by the United States and NATO after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

scholarly journals Comprehensive valuation of the ecosystem services of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam C. Turner ◽  
Margaret A. Young ◽  
Maureen R. McClung ◽  
Matthew D. Moran
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Full Range ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Wildlife Refuge ◽  
Gas Drilling ◽  
Contingent Valuation Survey

AbstractEcosystem services (ES) have been well studied in most biomes, but the Arctic tundra has received little attention, despite covering over 10% of terrestrial Earth. Using established ES methodologies, we calculated values for the United States Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a region virtually undisturbed by humans, but slated for future oil and gas drilling. We estimated the Refuge is worth about 1,709 USD/hectare/year, equal to over 13 billion USD annually.Globally important services, such as climate regulation (e.g., carbon storage) and non-use services (e.g., aesthetic information), contributed the most value and were similar to valuations from more productive ecosystems. Local services made smaller contributions to the total, but they remain vitally important to local indigenous cultures. Strikingly, a contingent valuation survey of U.S. residents found that, after neutral educational information, willingness-to-pay to maintain the Refuge in its current state exceeded estimated values of the oil and gas deposits.Our study shows that citizens may value Arctic habitats beyond their traditional economic development potential. Our comprehensive ecosystem services valuation suggests that maintaining the Refuge in its current condition (i.e., de facto wilderness) with its full range of ES is more valuable to humanity compared to development for oil and gas.

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