MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Oil and gas in Antarctica: El Dorado complex, according to British scientist

Professor Macdonald: so far a vast amount of misinformation

The prospect of finding oil in Antarctica was discussed at an event in Aberdeen, Scotland last week. Professor David Macdonald from the University of Aberdeen’s School of Geosciences examined the fact and fiction surrounding claims that oil and gas reserves could exist in this area.

Professor Macdonald is an expert on polar geology, having worked for the British Antarctic Survey for 14 years and completed seven Antarctic expeditions. He also worked for the Cambridge Arctic Shelf Program for seven years, including expeditions to Svalbard and Siberia.

Professor Macdonald said there was a vast amount of misinformation surrounding the prospect of oil and gas reserves being found in Antarctica.

“The possibility of exploration in this area first came to the fore up to 70 years ago and was given further precedence in the media spotlight during the Falklands war, when there was speculation around areas of the Antarctica which fell adjacent to the Falkland Islands.

“In truth, we actually still know very little about Antarctica and what could lie beneath the ice. What is happening here is what I call the El Dorado complex – the idea that unknown lands will be a treasure trove of resources.

“We are perhaps as humans, hard-wired to be optimistic and there is certainly a build up in public perception that there are vast oil resources hidden in this area of the world, but in actuality this location might be the least prospective continent due to its geology.

“What we know at the moment suggests that any oil and gas would either be under kilometres of ice, or in areas of the continental shelf that are constantly scoured by giant icebergs. The task of uncovering the resources would be mammoth and unlikely to be economically viable.

“At the moment there is a ban on searching beneath the Antarctic for oil and gas under the international Antarctic Treaty. I suggest this political protection is all very well, but a hard, sober and rational economic view should also dictate that oil exploration in this area is not a wise option”. (Penguin News)