Oil and Gas Reserves Discovered By Russia in British Antarctic Territory

Russian research ships have reportedly discovered massive oil and gas reserves in the British Antarctic Territory.

The discovery could potentially lead to the extraction of a lucrative source of energy, but there are concerns that drilling could cause damage in this protected area. There are also concerns that heightened geopolitical tensions could lead to a complicated situation.

The discovery was disclosed through evidence presented to the UK House of Commons Environment Audit Committee (EAC) last week. The committee was investigating concerns related to oil and gas exploration conducted aboard vessels owned by Rosgeo, Russia’s largest geological exploration company.

The newly uncovered reserves are estimated to contain approximately 511 billion barrels of oil, equivalent to about ten times the North Sea’s total output over the past 50 years.

Will Oil and Gas be Extracted from the British Antarctic Territory?

The 1959 Antarctic Treaty presently prohibits the extraction of oil from Antarctica. The treaty was established to ensure that the region is used “exclusively for peaceful purposes” and would “not become the scene or object of international discord.”

In 1976, the treaty signatories decided to implement a moratorium on the exploration and exploitation of minerals in Antarctica, adopting a precautionary approach to safeguarding the region.

However, treaties do not provide absolute assurances, given the unpredictable nature of geopolitics, especially at the present moment.

The situation is further complicated by the complex international legal and diplomatic framework concerning the region. Antarctica has seven historic claimants: Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, Norway, and the UK. However, these ownership claims were suspended with the negotiation of the Antarctic Treaty in 1959, effectively designating Antarctica as a vast international territory.

Geopolitical Tensions

The potential discovery of oil and gas reserves in the British Antarctic Territory by a Russian vessel comes at a time of heightened tensions between London and Moscow, amid the Ukraine War and the return of great power competition to the global political stage.

Klaud Dodds, a professor of geopolitics at Royal Holloway University made the argument that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine means that there is “widespread concern that a worsening relationship with [Russia] will spark strategic competition and make it even more explicit in Antarctica.”

“Russia’s activities need to be understood as a decision to undermine the norms associated with seismic survey research, and ultimately a precursor for forthcoming resource extraction,” he told the British newspaper, the Telegraph.

It is unconfirmed whether Russia was conducting scientific research in the region as it claims, or if it was searching for oil and gas. In any case, with relations between Russia and the West in such a poor state, it is possible that the discovery of a lucrative source of energy will become yet another point of competition.