The Terrible Consequences of Drilling in the Arctic

by Sky Truth/Jan 6, 2012
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Black Ice is Never a Good Thing

The recent oil spill by Shell off Nigeria's coast briefly brought to light the some of the most insidious consequences of the world's addiction to fossil fuels.

As our thirst for oil grows, companies are stretching the limits of depth and technology to drill wherever and however. Shell has recently received conditional approval to begin exploratory drilling in one of the world's most environmentally sensitive and valuable ecosystems - the Arctic Ocean. Drilling will begin this summer in northern Alaska's Chukchi Sea, leading many to wonder if this is such a good idea.

What would happen if Shell caused a spill, like last month's event in Nigeria, in the waters of Alaska hundreds of miles away from any Coast Guard station or port? We superimposed the resulting 350-square-mile Nigeria oil slick on the Chukchi Sea in the area where Shell will be drilling:

See images and read more about this story at Sky Truth