Alaska Flashcards
Oil and gas
Over half of Alaskas income comes from oil and gas industry - oil reserves from Prudhoe bay are currently being exploited - new frontiers in remote locations North of state - the Trans-Alaskan pipeline links the oil fields at Prudhoe bay with Valdez - where oil can be shipped to customers.
Mineral resources
Gold, silver and iron ore particularly - in Tintina bay - contributes to 2.2 billion of Alaskas GDP.
Fishing
Salmon, crab and pollock are fished - employs 79,000 people - contributes towards $5 billion to Alaska’s economy.
Tourism
Tourists are attracted by Alaska wilderness scenery - around 2 million tourists a year - bring moeny and opportunities.
Challenges to development
One of the smallest populations in the US - challenges getting access to resources and work force - as well as building infrastructure.
Environmental conditions - average temperature - degrees in Prudhoe Bay - dark almost all of the time in the winter.
Inaccessibility - extremely remote and difficult terrain making exploration difficult and expensive - ground is too soft to build roads - oil field in Smith Bay is 200km from nearest existing facilities - building materials would have to be shipped in the summer because th port is frozen in the summer - permafrost can melt - ground becomes unstable - can cause solifluction of land - building and infrastructure can collapse - as ground slumps.
Resilience
Ability to cope with challenges that the environment promotes - emergency generators if power fails - emergency food supplies - to feed 40,000 people - if roads are damaged - rollagons can cross the tundra to deliver fuel supplies - difficult to bring enough fuel.
Mitigation
Reducing severity of challenges - Utilidors - above ground insulated corridors - to avoid digging into the permafrost - expensive to build and maintain - buildings on stilts - to prevent damage from thawing below - sections of the Trans-Alaskan pipeline.
Adaption
Adjustment - employers making food available 24/7 - energy is burnt quickly on cold environments - working practices to deal with intense cold - running engines throughout - to make sure that they start.
