The Russian offshore oil and gas regime, When tight control means less order

This chapter reviews the applicable policy, legal and regulatory framework, with an emphasis on the access to offshore hydrocarbon resources and the conditions (checks) of their development. The legal and regulatory framework concerning matters of offshore mineral resource use and environmental protection includes over 800 documents. The Kremlin\u27s tight control over access to Russia\u27s Arctic offshore oil and gas resources has created a great deal of tension in the country\u27s energy sector. The constitution of the Russian Federation sits atop, with constitutional statutes and statutes cascading down the legal authority ladder. The chapter covers the conditions upon which access to offshore oil and gas resources is granted. Pursuant to this designation, environmental assessment should be part of the foregoing section on requirements for access to mineral resources, as the results of an environmental assessment should in theory influence the decision whether to proceed with oil and gas development