Permafrost related challenges in the exploration and exploitation of natural resources
Pavel Talalay#1, Lukas Arenson2, Lorna Linch*3
1.Polar Research Center, Jilin University, China, ptalalay@yahoo.com
2.BGC Engineering Inc., Vancouver, Canada, larenson@bgcengineering.ca
3.School of Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, UK L.Linch@brighton.ac.uk
*Session organizer and corresponding author, *PYRN Member
Session description:
The Arctic is rich in hydrocarbon and mineral resources, which attract the interest of global companies and mobilize the purchasing power of emerging economies. The Arctic is estimated to contain 13 % of the world’s undiscovered oil and about 30 % of the world’s natural gas resources, making this region an important economic and geopolitical player. In addition to hydrocarbon deposits, the Arctic is also home to nickel, iron ore, diamonds and gold, as well as rare earth minerals. Although the full extent of these deposits is currently unknown, several countries in the Arctic have made efforts in exploring and exploiting some of these natural resources. However, permafrost conditions in the Arctic make oil, gas and mineral exploration and exploitation challenging. Permafrost thicknesses vary significantly depending on location, but can be up to several hundred meters thick within the continuous permafrost zone. The presence of permafrost creates several challenges during the exploration and exploitation of these natural resources. For example: (i) drilling fluid can affect the ground thermal regime and thaw permafrost; (ii) freezing of the drilling fluid can occur when drilling is interrupted; (iii) fragile vegetation can be damaged due to the construction of drilling platforms and transport accesses, initiating local permafrost thaw; (iv) thaw-subsidence can form near wellheads; and (v) taliks impact hydrogeology and water management. We invite contributions from those investigating, and providing solutions for, onshore and offshore oil, gas and mineral exploration and exploitation in permafrost in the Arctic.
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