Natural gas exploitation problems in the Arctic circle : master’s thesis

U svijetu u kojem potražnja za energijom ubrzano raste, a postojeći izvori se smanjuju, otkrivanje i eksploatacija novih ležišta prirodnog plina su prijeko potrebni. U takvim uvjetima Arktički pojas dobiva novo značenje. Do skoro drugog desetljeća 21. stoljeća bio je nezanimljiv; sve dok se nije ispostavilo da ispod svoje površine sadrži oko 22% svjetskih neotkrivenih rezervi ugljikovodika. Procjenjuje se da sjeverno od Arktičkog kruga ima više od 400 naftnih i plinskih polja koja sadrže više od 14,3 milijardi m3 sirove nafte, 47 trilijuna m3 prirodnog plina i 6,9 milijardi m3 kondenzata. Međutim, postoje izazovi s kojima se plinska industrija mora suočiti ukoliko želi iskorištavati resurse u tom području. Većina tih izazova vezana je uz ekstremne vremenske uvjete i osjetljiv okoliš, kao što su tehnički i tehnološki, te problemi zaštite okoliša i ljudskih resursa, a ne smiju se zanemariti ni ekonomski. Ovdje je prisutna još jedna kategorija problema, a to su geopolitički. Rješavanjem svakog od njih otvara se pristup posljednjim velikim zalihama prirodnog plina na našem planetu.Abstract: In a world with a fast growing energy demand, and a decreasing supply from available resources, finding and exploitation of new natural gas fields becomes an imperative. In such conditions, Arctic circle obtains new significance. Until nearly second decade of 21st century it was uninteresting; until it was found out that there are around 22% of world’s undiscovered reserves beneath its surface. It is estimated that there are more than 400 oil and natural gas fields within Arctic circle, which contain more than 14,3 billion m3 of crude oil, 47 trillion m3 of natural gas and 6,9 billion m3 of natural gas liquids. However, companies from the gas industry must deal with some challenges if they want to exploit resources in that area. Most of them are connected with harsh weather conditions and sensible environment, such as technical, technological, environment protection and human resources problems. Of course, neither economic shouldn’t be neglected. One more category of problems is immanent here which is connected with geopolitics. Solving each of them unlocks the access to the last large natural gas reserves on our planet