Study: Most Arctic Gas in Russia

29 May 2009The Associated PressWASHINGTON -- Nearly one-third of the gas yet to be discovered in the world is north of the Arctic Circle, and most of it is in Russian territory, according to an analysis led by researchers at the U.S. Geological Survey.

"These findings suggest that in the future the ... pre-eminence of Russian strategic control of gas resources in particular is likely to be accentuated and extended," said Donald Gautier, lead author of the study published in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

Russia already is the world's leading natural gas producer, noted Gautier, of the Geological Survey's office in Menlo Park, California.

The report, by an international scientific team, estimated that the Arctic also contains 3 percent to 4 percent of the world's oil resources remaining to be discovered.

Two-thirds of the undiscovered gas is in just four areas -- South Kara Sea, North Barents Basin, South Barents Basin and the Alaska Platform -- the report said. Indeed, the South Kara Sea off Siberia contains 39 percent of the Arctic's undiscovered gas, the researchers said.

Russia has been active in asserting its claim to parts of the Arctic. It first submitted a claim to the United Nations in 2001 but was rejected for lack of evidence.