The Arctic is estimated to contain 90 billion barrels of untapped oil and three times as much natural gas according to the USGS. However, drilling plans are controversial due to environmental concerns. Norway has approved increased Arctic exploration but limits drilling in some areas until 2010 to protect wildlife and important fishing environments. A new report indicates the Arctic may hold a fifth of the world's undiscovered yet recoverable oil and gas reserves.

1. Oil in The Arctic By Sean Hill and Tyler Williams

2. About Oil In The Arctic The Arctic is estimated to hold 90bn barrels of untapped oil, according to figures from the US Geological Survey (USGS). The USGS says the area has three times as much untapped natural gas as oil. Drilling plans in the Arctic have been controversial, with environment groups worried about the effect on wildlife .

3. Norway And the Arctic Norway has approved increased oil exploration in its Arctic waters but will limit drilling in some areas until 2010 to protect the environment. Under the long-awaited plan, a 50km (31-mile) zone near Norway's coast, which includes the Lofoten islands, will be off-limits. The area in the Barents Sea is seen as being important for the environment and has large supplies of fish. Environmental groups criticised the move as giving too little protection. Oil also makes paint, petrol, make up, plastics, shoes, Film, Plasters and Cotton

4. The riches in the Arctic The future of the Arctic will be less white wilderness, more black gold, a new report on oil reserves in the High North has signalled this week. The first-comprehensive assessment of oil and gas resources north of the Arctic Circle, carried out by American geologists, reveals that underneath the ice, the region may contain as much as a fifth of the world's undiscovered yet recoverable oil and natural gas reserves. Against oil in the Arctic; Animal protection, lovers of the great outdoors, Arctic villages, Environmentalist

5. Price of Oil

6. Why do we need oil ? Oil is the single most important commodity traded in the world today. Oil is the world’s most important source of energy. It underpins the global economy. Billions of tonnes are used every year in manufacturing and transport and our demand for the black gold just keeps rising .

7. Sustainable development The main Trans-Alaska Pipeline runs north to south, almost 800 miles , from the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to the Gulf of Alaska at Valdez, Alaska, passing near several Alaskan villages and towns, including Wiseman , Bettles , Livengood , Fox , Fairbanks , and Glennallen. The oil was found in 1968 and they started construction of the trans Alaskan pipeline in the 1973 and it was completed in 1977 and the oil runs down in to the docks and is transported by oil tankers.

8. Questions 1. Identify two of the environmental problems in Alaska ? ________________________________________ ________________________________________ 2. Explain why this pipe line has been built in Alaska ? _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Draw an outline sketch of the trans Alaskan pipe line ?

9. 4. Point out problems with building the pipeline ? _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 5. Design a new pipeline route that would cause less environmental problems ? Start here End here

10. 6. Summarise what you have learned about the trans – Alaskan pipeline. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

11. The Development of a Natural Resource Palm oil audit of the environmental and social impacts of palm oil production and the assessment of sustainable development have been around for many years - they were simply known by a different name! The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) process since 2003 has brought palm oil into the global spotlight and greater focus on the environmental and social issues associated with palm oil development and production. This has led to greater self-examination by palm oil producers as well as external scrutiny by other members of the supply chain. This brief report outlines the background to the role of palm oil audit in assessing the environmental and social performance of palm oil producers and guiding their progress towards implementing sustainable palm oil.

12. Oil around the world Norway’s economy depends on the sea. Many tons of cod, herring, mackerel and other fish hauled in from Norwegian waters land on dinner plates around the world each year, making Norway the world’s second-largest fish exporter. Fifty years ago, no one would have predicted that another offshore resource — hydrocarbons — would one day supersede fish as Norway’s most valuable asset.

13. Valdez Oil Spill 1989 The Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in the Prince William Sound, Alaska, on March 24, 1989. It is considered one of the most devastating human-caused environmental disasters ever to occur at sea. As significant as the Exxon Valdez spill was, it ranks well down on the list of the world's largest oil spills in terms of volume released. However, Prince William Sound's remote location (accessible only by helicopter and boat) made government and industry response efforts difficult and severely taxed existing plans for response. The region was a habitat for salmon, sea otters, seals, and seabirds. The vessel spilled 10.8 million U.S. gallons (about 40 million litres) of Prudhoe Bay crude oil into the sea, and the oil eventually covered 11,000 square miles (28,000 km2) of ocean. Wiki Scanner discovered changes made from within Exxon Mobil altering the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia's article on the oil spill and downplaying its severity.

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