"Arctic is rich in natural gas, study says; Most of untapped reserves located in Russian territory" by Randolph E. Schmid, Associated Press | May 29, 2009
WASHINGTON - Nearly one-third of the natural gas yet to be discovered in the world is north of the Arctic Circle, and most of it is in Russian territory, according to a new analysis led by researchers at the US Geological Survey.
"These findings suggest that in the future the . . . preeminence of Russian strategic control of gas resources in particular is likely to be accentuated and extended," said Donald L. Gautier, lead author of the study, published in today's edition of the journal Science. Russia is already the world's leading natural gas producer, noted Gautier.
The report, by an international scientific team, estimated the Arctic also contains between 3 and 4 percent of the world's oil resources remaining to be discovered.... Arctic oil reserves are much smaller than those of natural gas and are unlikely to lead to any shift in world oil balance, Gautier said. But they could be of importance locally if developed by individual countries, he said, citing in particular the United States and Greenland, which is governed by Denmark.
The oil might extend world production significantly....I thought we were supposed to be kicking the oil habit. It really is all about a fart tax, isn't it?
Gautier said the study focused on geological conditions in the Arctic and how they compared to other parts of the world where oil and gas have been found.
Because so much of this territory is unexplored and data are so limited, the researchers had to develop a new method to do assessments, Gautier said.
I'm not liking this; it sounds like a agenda-pushing poop report!
Also see: Scientists Admit They Made Up Global Warming Data
They collected the best information they could for the region and then subdivided it into geological areas. Those areas were compared with other geological regions where gas or oil have been found in order to produce their assessment of where more resources are likely to be located.
"As new data become available our understanding of the resources in the Arctic will change," he added.
So you admit the glaciers are growing, or.... ?
--more--"
"Some maritime glaciers.... have grown in recent years, including 2007.... They include glaciers at Nigardsbreen, Norway, and Alaska that were helped by temperatures that remain below freezing and ample snow"
Also see: Farting On Top of the World
The Expanding Arctic Ice Sheet?
