oil and gas production in alaska impact on the water and carbon cycle(arctic tundra)

Question 1

where is Prudhoe Bay

Answer 1

on the North Slope of Alaska between the Brooks Range in the south and the Arctic Ocean in the north

Question 2

when were oil and gas first discovered at Prudhoe Bay

Answer 2

1968

Question 3

what were three fundamental challenges faced during the initial stages of development of oil and gas industries on the north slope

Answer 3

a harsh climate with extreme cold and long periods of darkness, remoteness and poor accessibility, and fragile wilderness of great ecological value

Question 4

what drove production of oil and gas extraction in prudhoe bay

Answer 4

high energy prices and the US government’s policy to reduce dependence on oil exports

Question 5

what seven infrastructure examples were introduced in which years

Answer 5

pipelines, roads, oil production plants, gas processing facilities, power lines, power generators and gravel quarries were completed during the 1970s and 80s

Question 6

in the early 90s how much did the north slope contribute to the US’s domestic oil production

Answer 6

by the early 1990s the North Sope accounted for nearly 1/4 of the USAs domestic oil production

Question 7

what proportion of the US’s domestic oil production does prudhoe bay account for today

Answer 7

6%

Question 8

what does the decline of production in recent years reflect

Answer 8

high production costs on the north slope and massive growth of the oil shale industry in the USA

Question 9

how has permafrost in the tundra been impacted by oil and gas extraction

Answer 9

permafrost is extremely sensitive to changes in the thermal balance, in many areas this balance has been disrupted resulting in the localised melting of permafrost

Question 10

what are disruptions in the heat balance due to oil and gas extraction associated with

Answer 10

construction of oil and gas installations, settlements and infrastructure diffusing heat directly into the environment and the removal of vegetation cover which insulates the permafrost

Question 11

what is the impact of melting permafrost on the carbon cycle

Answer 11

permafrost melting releases carbon and methane

Question 12

what are the estimates losses per year of carbon from the permafrost

Answer 12

estimated C02 losses from melting losses vary from 7-40million tonnes per year

Question 13

how else is C02 inputted into the atmosphere other than permafrost melting

Answer 13

glas flaring and oil spillages

Question 14

how are photosynthesis and decomposition impacted by oil and gas production

Answer 14

the destruction of tundra vegetation reduces photosynthesis and the in turn uptake of C02, the thawing of soil increases microbial activity and decomposition, increasing emissions of C02

Question 15

how does the slow growing nature of tundra vegetation worsen the impacts of oil and gas production

Answer 15

the slow growing nature of tundra vegetation means that regeneration and recovery from damage takes decades

Question 16

how has melted permafrost impacted the water cycle

Answer 16

increases run off and river discharge, meaning that in summer wetlands, ponds and lakes are more extensive, increasing evaporation

Question 17

what mining process creates artificial lakes and what effect does this have

Answer 17

strip mining of aggregates (sand and gravel) for construction creates artificial lakes which disrupt drainage and also expose the permafrost to further melting

Question 18

how are drainage networks impacted

Answer 18

drainage networks are impacted by road construction and by seismic explosions used to prospect for oil and gas

Question 19

what are four management strategies to moderate the impact on water and carbon cycles

Answer 19

insulated pads, elevated buildings and pipelines, lateral drilling and remote exploration

Question 20

what are insulated pads

Answer 20

roads and buildings can be put on insulated pads to prevent heat diffusing to the permafrost below

Question 21

how do elevated buildings and pipelines work

Answer 21

elevated infrastructure allows cool air to circulate beneath, preventing heat from being transferred to the ground and permafrost below.

Question 22

what is lateral drilling

Answer 22

new drilling techniques allow oil and gas to be accessed several kms from the drilling site. with fewer sites needed, the impact on vegetation and permafrost is reduced.

Question 23

how does remote exploration work

Answer 23

powerful computers can detect oil and gas, preventing the need for environmentally damaging exploration techniques such as seismic explosions.