oil extraction in Alaska

Question 1

how many barrels worth of oil reserves are there in Alaska?

Answer 1

16 billion barrels

Question 2

Aleyska pipeline

Answer 2

1300km pipeline
from Prudhoe bay to Valdez
transports 1.4 million barrels per day

Question 3

the need for oil

Answer 3

in 2014 the USA consumer 6.95 billion barrels of oil products
since 2013 demand has risen
40% of oil supply in USA comes from imports which is worrying as they want energy security

Question 4

impact on periglacial landscape
gravel pads

Answer 4

gravel is extracted from rivers and stream beds to be used as an insulating layer for road construction
alters the rate at which gravel is transported and deposited further downstream
effects equilibrium between erosional and depositional processes
ground water levels fell by more than a metre 2km away from the extraction site

Question 5

impact on periglaciated landscape
burning of gas

Answer 5

some gases are burnt in a process called flaring which released CO2 into atmosphere
other gases incl methane are vented without burning into the atmosphere
cause greenhouse effect with higher levels of terrestial radiation being trapped in the lower atmosphere

Question 6

impact on periglaciated landscape
production of heat

Answer 6

heat is produced by the extraction of oil and associated infrastructure
causes urban heat island effect in Barrow, mean temperatures were on average 2.2 degrees higher than the surrounding area
heat from domestic heating systems in poorly insulated buildings.
9% fewer days with temperatures fluctuations around 0 degrees since drilling began

Question 7

how does heat released from buildings change the landforms?

Answer 7

increases mobility of the active layer allowing solifluction to take place

Question 8

what is solifluction?

Answer 8

the slow flow of fine water - saturated regolith from higher to lower ground

Question 9

thermokarst

Answer 9

landscape dominated by surface depressions due to thawing of ground ice
hummocky ground interspersed with waterlogged hollows
depression may fill to form shallow lakes
eg North Slope Alaska

Question 10

alases

Answer 10

flat floored steep side depressions in periglacial environments

Question 11

alas valley

Answer 11

combined alases

Question 12

impact of removing vegetation

Answer 12

decreases insulation of ground ice
thicker active layer