Northern Oil and Gas Research Forum: Current Status and Future Directions in the Beaufort Sea, North Slope and Mackenzie Delta held in Anchorage, Alaska, October 23-30, 2008. United States and Canada

摘要

On October 28 to 30, 2008, the United States and Canada Northern Oil and Gas Research Forum, Current Status and Future Directions for the Beaufort Sea, North Slope and Mackenzie Delta was held in Anchorage, Alaska. The forum was attended by 306 participants. The purpose of the research forum was to provide an opportunity for U.S. and Canadian scientists, industry, and regulators to share information about research programs and to discuss future directions for northern oil and gas development. The forum provided an important communication venue for regulators, industry and communities to become better informed about existing research, data gaps, and how information is used in decision-making. Future directions for research were identified as well as areas of common interest between the US and Canada. The objectives of the forum were: to showcase current research programs, demonstrating how they have contributed to decision-making through environmental assessments and the regulatory process and highlighting the involvement of indigenous people in research programs; to identify how to move research findings into decision-making fora; to discuss future oil and gas research needs, including synergies and partnerships, for the Beaufort Sea, Mackenzie Delta and North Slope; and to identify research and development priorities and next steps to advance our understanding of the interaction between the oil and gas industry and the Arctic environment.