STOCKHOLM, Sweden -- Arctic oil and gas extraction is expected to increase, even as influential environmental organizations in Sweden demand that the government there strive to end all oil development in the Arctic Ocean to protect the sensitive sea environment from spills.
But oil extraction in the Arctic can be more environmentally friendly than drilling in warmer waters, according to geographer and Arctic researcher Rasmus Ole Rasmussen. "Cold water and ice are very beneficial when cleaning up after an oil spill," says Rasmus Ole Rasmussen, a researcher at Nordregio, the Nordic Council of Minister's research institute in Stockholm. "The oil is much thicker and much easier to pump up."
"Because of the cold water," he adds, "the oil breaks down slower than further south, and consequently leaves traces in nature. But volatile substances remain in the oil if it's cold, and this is an advantage if the oil spill is to be burned away."
READ MORE: Are industry and regulators prepared for an oil spill in Alaskas Arctic?
In conjunction with Sweden being the chairing country of the Arctic Council, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) among others, is pressuring Sweden to put a stop of all new oil extraction in the Arctic. And the WWF, along with Greenpeace, wants to prevent Greenland and other countries from initiating oil extraction.
One of the concerns is that icebergs could collide with oil rigs. However, Greenland's neighboring country Canada has pumped oil off the coast of Newfoundland for 30 years and developed strategies for preventing icebergs from destroying the rigs.
There is always the risk of ships colliding with oil rigs with all the ensuing problems, but because there is little traffic in the Arctic, the risk for collisions is less than in for example, the more heavily trafficked Gulf of Mexico.
"The regulations are also stricter in several Arctic countries," says Rasmus Ole Rasmussen, and he maintains that oil from the Arctic Ocean is consequently more environmentally friendly that oil from the Gulf of Mexico.
Oil and gas extraction in the Arctic is expected to increase. Influential environmental organizations in Sweden are now demanding that the Swedish government strive to put an end to all oil extraction in the Arctic Ocean to protect the sensitive sea environment from oil spills.
But oil extraction in the Arctic can be more environmentally friendly than when drilling in warmer waters. This according to geographer and Arctic researcher Rasmus Ole Rasmussen.
"Cold water and ice are very beneficial when cleaning up after an oil spill," says Rasmus Ole Rasmussen, a researcher at Nordregio, the Nordic Council of Minister's research institute in Stockholm. "The oil is much thicker and much easier to pump up."
"Because of the cold water, the oil breaks down slower than further south and consequently leaves traces in nature. But volatile substances remain in the oil if it's cold and this is an advantage if the oil spill is to be burned away."
In conjunction with Sweden being the chairing country of the Arctic Council, the World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) among others, is pressuring Sweden to strive for putting a stop of all new oil extraction in the Arctic.
And the WWF, along with Greenpeace, wants to prevent Greenland and other countries from initiating oil extraction.
One of the concerns is that icebergs could collide with oil rigs. However, Greenland's neighboring country Canada has pumped oil off the coast of Newfoundland for 30 years and developed strategies for preventing icebergs from destroying the rigs.
There is always the risk of ships colliding with oil rigs, but because there is little traffic in the Arctic, the risk for collisions is less than in other places, such as the more heavily trafficked Gulf of Mexico.
"The regulations are also stricter in several Arctic countries," says Rasmus Ole Rasmussen, and he maintains that oil from the Arctic Ocean is consequently more environmentally friendly that oil from the Gulf of Mexico.
This story is posted on Alaska Dispatch as part of Eye on the Arctic, a collaborative partnership between public and private circumpolar media organizations.