PubTalk 2/2009 — Petroleum in the Arctic

Geology, Climate, and National Interests

By Donald L. Gautier, Geologist

• For better or worse, technological advances and diminishing opportunities elsewhere make the Arctic increasingly attractive to oil and gas exploration. Retreating polar ice, shifting ecosystems, and heightened development potential are vital issues to the nations of the Arctic, to petroleum companies, and to all concerned about the region's fragile environments.