The Climate Change Impact on Oil and Gas Activities in the Beaufort Sea
Data and Resources
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Creator | Stantec Consulting Ltd |
| Summary | The report outlines both positive and negative impacts of climate change on oil and gas activities in the Beaufort Sea region. Positive effects include longer operating seasons due to reduced ice cover, earlier and later vessel access, and reduced icebreaking needs. However, negative effects pose serious risks, such as increased threats from faster-moving and glacial ice, higher wave heights causing operational delays, warmer sea temperatures accelerating coastal permafrost degradation, reduced feasibility of ice roads, and greater storm surge impacts on infrastructure. These effects are especially critical for long-term projects, which must account for evolving climate risks over decades. The report highlights significant information gaps, particularly in climatology and ice behavior, and calls for further research in areas like contaminants, marine ecology, and seabed conditions to better prepare for climate-related challenges in the oil and gas sector. |
| Local Relevance | This report is highly relevant to the Northwest Territories (NWT) as it highlights how climate change is reshaping the conditions for oil and gas operations in the Beaufort Sea and surrounding coastal areas. |
| Notes | |
| Tags | Oil and Gas,Beaufort Sea,Drilling |
| Geographic Region | NWT |
| Release Date | 2013-07-01 |
| Last Modified Date | 2013-07-01 |
| Funding Program |