Alaska - Challenges/Opportunities of Oil

Question 1

Oil and gas contributions to earnings in 2012 and 2018:

Answer 1

• 2012: $10 billion
• 2018: $3 billion

Question 2

Jobs provided by the industry:

Answer 2

• 100,000
• 1 in 7 Alaskans are employed in this industry

Question 3

Number of barrels per day produced at Prudhoe Bay near the start of its development:

Answer 3

2 million barrels per day

Question 4

Length of trans-Alaskan pipeline:

Answer 4

800 km

Question 5

Reason for trans-Alaskan pipeline:

Answer 5

• Challenge of ice in northern seas meant tankers could not be used
• Rising oil prices and political issues in Middle East
• USA had to increase its energy security

Question 6

Cost and time taken to build pipeline:

Answer 6

• Took 5 years
• $8 billion

Question 7

Stilts - height and cost:

Answer 7

• 11 metres deep
• $3,000 each to build

Question 8

Area of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR):

Answer 8

80,000 km2

Question 9

Barrels of oil under ANWR:

Answer 9

6-16 billion

Question 10

Percentage of taxes raised by Alaskan state from oil and gas sector:

Answer 10

Over 90%

Question 11

Jobs taken by locals in Prudhoe Bay:

Answer 11

400 of the 2,000 available jobs

Question 12

Year of Exxon Valdez spill:

Answer 12

1989

Question 13

Proportion of oil spilt recovered:

Answer 13

15% of the 1.2 million spilled barrels

Question 14

Damage to marine life:

Answer 14

5,000 sea otters and many seals and eagles killed

Question 15

Region of pipeline oil spill in 2006:

Answer 15

North Slope

Question 16

2006 pipeline oil spilt:

Answer 16

1 million litres

Question 17

Opportunities for oil and gas under Alaska’s offshore waters:

Answer 17

• 30 billion barrels of recoverable oil
• Trillions of cm3 of gas

Question 18

Why is drilling forbidden off the coast of Kaktovik and Barrow?

Answer 18

To prevent bowhead whales from being disturbed, which are needed by the Inupiat people.