Nunavut and Northwest Territories Advocacy
The question of whether to develop arctic oil and gas has always been complex. The debate includes those who support a complete ban on arctic oil development as well as those who accept development if it is done safely. However, what constitutes safe is subject to debate. Issues of where development can safely take place, at what depth, and how far into the season operators can drill are among concerns. Social justice issues also play a role in the debate, including questions of who bears the risks of development and who will feel the benefits.
In 2011, The National Energy Board completed a review of Arctic offshore drilling. This review began prior to the Deepwater Horizon accident as a review of the government’s same-season relief well policy; however, following the disaster, the review was changed to include safety and environmental requirements for Arctic offshore drilling.
The following organizations are involved in the arctic oil development debate:
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The content for this province was peer-reviewed in Oct 2013. We’d like to acknowledge the assistance of the external reviewers and Leah Fusco who authored this webpage content.
