Challenges and environmental issues in developing hydrocarbon resources in the World ocean

Abstract

The oil and gas industry has been evolving for 150 years. Despite the predictions on the diminishing role of hydrocarbons in the second half of the 21st century, today they play a leading role in the global energy sector. In view of this there is some interest to study current development trends of the industry. This paper reviews and analyses data for the period from 2011 to 2021, which relate to the development of hydrocarbon resources in the marine and ocean environment. It was important for the authors to consider how the trends they highlighted are affecting or will affect ecosystems. The conducted research has showed that today there are three main development trends in hydrocarbon mining in the World ocean: development of the marine Arctic, continental shelf and the possibility to organize commercial production in the deep sea areas of the World ocean. For each of the directions both existing and potential ecological risks have been identified. They include loss of marine biodiversity, activation of dangerous geological processes, unpredictability of ocean environment, man-made accidents and disasters, discharges of drilling and other industrial waste, etc. The work has also identified the challenges facing the oil and gas industry. These include the search for new technologies for deep-sea production, poorly understood depth of the World ocean, need for new approaches in environmental risk management, as well as the creation of a legal framework for subsoil use regulation in new environments and areas.