Examines the battle to develop the oil resources of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

U.S. Arctic waters north of the Bering Strait and west of the Canadian border encompass a vast area that is usually ice covered for much of the year, but is increasingly experiencing longer periods and larger areas of open water due to climate change. Sparsely inhabited with a wide variety of ecosystems found nowhere else, this region is vulnerable to damage from human activities. As oil and gas, shipping, and tourism activities increase, the possibilities of an oil spill also increase. How can we best prepare to respond to such an event in this challenging environment? Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment reviews the current state of the science regarding oil spill response and environmental assessment in the Arctic region north of the Bering Strait, with emphasis on the potential impacts in U.S. waters. This report describes the unique ecosystems and environment of the Arctic and makes recommendations to provide an effective response effort in these challenging conditions. According to Responding to Oil Spills in the U.S. Arctic Marine Environment, a full range of proven oil spill response technologies is needed in order to minimize the impacts on people and sensitive ecosystems. This report identifies key oil spill research priorities, critical data and monitoring needs, mitigation strategies, and important operational and logistical issues. The Arctic acts as an integrating, regulating, and mediating component of the physical, atmospheric and cryospheric systems that govern life on Earth. Not only does the Arctic serve as regulator of many of the Earth's large-scale systems and processes, but it is also an area where choices made have substantial impact on life and choices everywhere on planet Earth. This report's recommendations will assist environmentalists, industry, state and local policymakers, and anyone interested in the future of this special region to preserve and protect it from damaging oil spills.

In 1969, an icebreaking tanker, the SS Manhattan, was commissioned by Humble Oil to transit the Northwest Passage in order to test the logistical and economic feasibility of an all-marine transportation system for Alaska North Slope crude oil. Proposed as an alternative to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, the Manhattan made two voyages to the North American Arctic and collected volumes of scientific data on ice conditions and the behavior of ships in ice. Although the Manhattan successfully navigated the Northwest Passage—closing a five-hundred-year chapter of Arctic exploration by becoming the first commercial vessel to do so—the expedition ultimately demonstrated the impracticality of moving crude oil using icebreaking ships. Breaking Ice for Arctic Oil details this historic voyage, establishing its significant impact on the future of marine traffic and resource development in the Arctic and setting the stage for the current oil crisis.

In spite of the harsh conditions that characterize the Arctic, it is a surprisingly fragile ecosystem. The exploration for oil in the Arctic over the past 30 years has had profound effects on the plants and animals that inhabit this frozen clime. The Natural History of an Arctic Oil Field synthesizes decades of research on these myriad impacts. Specialists with years of field experience have contributed to this volume to create the first widely available synopsis of the ecology and wildlife biology of animals and plants living in close association with an actively producing oil field. First widely available synthesis of arctic oil field ecology and wildlife biology Concise yet readable treatment of a diverse polar ecosystem Useful for land managers, policy makers as well as ecologists, and population biologists Chapters authored by recognized authorities and contributions are peer-reviewed for accuracy and scientific rigor Illustrations attractively designed to enhance comprehension

Pt. 1. The Arctic: context, framework and methodology -- pt. 2. Legal and institutional framework: case studies -- pt. 3. Comparisons and managerial implications.

There is oil under the ice in the Arctic, but how much? How would getting it affect this protected ecosystem? Find out in this fascinating book.

Arctic Oil: Photographs of Alaska's North Slope introduces readers to a remote region north of the Arctic Circle. Only the Native peoples who lived there for centuries and the small workforce that keeps Alaska s mammoth oil fields producing had previously known the area. Judy Patrick s photographs now bring this secret corner of the world to the public eye. Images of ice roads and ice islands built for winter exploration lie next to images of year-round production complexes hauled north by barge, and page turns reveal the faces of roughnecks on drill rigs. The melding of pristine Alaska and modern industry in each image make this book is a unique and intriguing compilation. Taken over two decades, these photographs showcase Alaska s North Slope oil industry from the massive Prudhoe Bay field to the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and beyond. Few people beyond those who work there get to see what Alaska s oil industry looks like, but Alaskan photographer Judy Patrick brings it to life for those of us who will never make the trek north.