U.S. Geological Survey on Arctic resources (August, 13)
- Unveils Circumpolar Assessment at the International Geological Congress in Oslo
In August, Oslo hosted the 33rd International Geological Congress, with 6,000 geologists participating from around the world. The IGC meets every four years for the so-called “Olympics” of geology, with lectures, debates, booths, and exhibits. This year, to honor the Year of Earth Sciences, International Year of Planet Earth, and the International Polar Year, the IGC emphasized the scientific and social aspects of climate change, geohazards, human health, the future energy mix, and the Arctic.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) was a major participant this year, as it unveiled the results of the first-ever publicly available assessment of oil and gas resources north of the Arctic Circle. The USGS found 90 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and 1,670 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. The fossil fuel deposits in the Arctic thus account for 22% of the world’s undiscovered, technically recoverable resources. More information can be found on the USGS website.