Arctic drilling plans heat up

摘要

Companies are devising strategies to tackle harsh Arctic conditions in hopes of making massive finds in an area that could hold significant undiscovered oil and gas resources. With an estimated 90 Bbbl of oil, 1,669 Tcf of natural gas, and 44 Bbbl of NGL that may remain undiscovered in the Arctic, it's no wonder companies are getting fired up about this chilly region. Said to hold about 22% of the world's undiscovered conventional oil and natural gas resources, according to the US Geological Survey, the Arctic continental shelf may be the largest unexplored area for petroleum left in the world. Already, more than 400 oil and gas fields have been discovered north of the Arctic Circle, mostly onshore. However, colossal finds remain hidden amid an area of more than 7 million sq km (3 million sq miles) in less than 500 m (1,640 ft) water depth offshore.