Oil An Gas Production In Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

Question 1

Where is Prudhoe Bay

Answer 1

North slope of Alaska

Question 2

What fraction of the US’ domestic oil production camr from Prudhoe Bay in the 1990s vs now

Answer 2

1990s: nearly 1/4

Now: less than 4%

Question 3

Why did oil production decline in Prudhoe Bay?

Answer 3

High production costs

Growth of the oil shale industry in the US

Question 4

Is the permafrost sensitive to thermal changes?

Answer 4

Yes, very sensitive

Question 5

What activites are melting permafrost associated with?

Answer 5

Construction and production of oil and gas installations, settlements and infrastructure diffusing heat directly into the environement

Dust depostition along road sides creates darkened snow surfaces, reducing albedo

Removal of vegetation cover which insulates the permafrost

Question 6

Annual CO2 losses from permafrost

Answer 6

Range from 7 to 40 million/tonnes/yr

Question 7

Annual CH4 losses from permafrost

Answer 7

Range from 24 000 to 114 000 tonnes/ yr

Question 8

Impact of destruction of vegetation

Answer 8

Reduces photosynthesis and uptake of CO2

Question 9

CO2 emissions since 1975

Answer 9

73% increase

Question 10

Regeneration and vegetation

Answer 10

Takes decades because the vegetation grows very slowly

Question 11

Melting of permafrost and run off

Answer 11

Increased run off making flooding more likely. Wetlands and lakes are more extensive in the summer which increases evaporation

Question 12

Statistic about artificial lakes

Answer 12

Artifical lakes at Goldstream have experienced a 15m permafrost thaw in the last 60 yrs

Question 13

What is arctic amplification

Answer 13

The idea that the impacts of climate change are amplifies in the arctic since it is a very fragile biome

Question 14

Impacts of strip mining

Answer 14

Creates artificial lakes which disrupt drainage and expose the permafrost to more melting