The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) of the House of Commons of the British Parliament yesterday held a special session on Russian oil exploration in the southern polar region, following claims that the oil exploration company Rosgeo had reported that its vessel Research scientist Alexander Karpinsky had completed an exhaustive geological study of the subsurface, mapping highly promising oil and gas prospects on Antarctic oil platforms.
The session saw three ministers questioned about Russian oil prospecting activities in Antarctica, which are believed to be within territory claimed by the United Kingdom, Argentina and Chile. The Alexander Karpinsky ship 's surveys were part of the 65th Russian Antarctic Expedition and covered the southeastern part of the Riiser-Larsen Sea off the coast of Queen Maud Land, an Antarctic region claimed by Norway.
According to UK media reports, the Environment Committee heard that since 2011 Russia has been carrying out seismic surveys off the Weddell Sea, which falls within the UK's claim to Antarctic territory.
According to Rosgeo, its studies have revealed approximately 500 billion barrels (70 billion tons) of hydrocarbon potential in the Southern Ocean basins.
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