Print this pageAn Overview of Potential Conflicts Between High-Density Caribou Calving Areas and Petroleum Development in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge
BANET, ARTHUR C., JR.
In 1987, legislatively mandated multi-disciplinary studies of northeast Alaska's Arctic coastal plain demonstrated the area's potential for both significant hydrocarbon resources and important wildlife habitat. Although additional data have been gathered and new technologies have been developed there is still no consensus towards a prudent disposition of the resources. It is clear that emotional concerns currently outweigh analytical analyses as backers of development propose changing the area's name to the "Arctic Oil Reserve" whereas development adversaries refer to the area as the "Serengeti of the North." Concerns about potential conflicts between high-density caribou calving areas and development illustrate this problem.
Hydrocarbon resources are not evenly distributed across the coastal plain. Two significantly large seismically prospects have the most potential for development. The Marsh Creek Anticline and Point Thomson area are also significant but have less potential. Whereas caribou calve in the 1002 area in many years, the high-density calving areas coincide with the largest seismically mapped prospects in only two of the twenty-three years when calving activities were recorded. In addition, advances in exploration and development technologies like extended reach drilling, smaller facility citing and the elimination of mudpits result in smaller footprints which mitigate against adverse affects to the environment and subsequent compromise of critical wildlife habitat. These are the criteria against which development and wildlife should be compared.