Reliance on Fossil Fuels (Edexcel GCSE Geography B)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Developing New Oil & Gas Sources
To meet the demand for energy new oil and gas sources are being developed
It also includes drilling for oil and gas in increasingly difficult and dangerous environments including:
Extreme cold - Arctic
Extreme heat - deserts
Deep water drilling such as Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Chayvo field in Russia
Arctic
The Arctic region supplies 10% of the world's oil and 25% of its gas
Approximately 25-30% of the Earth's remaining gas and oil reserves are in the Arctic region
The costs of exploration are high but oil and gas profits are at an all time high so they have money to invest
Technological improvements mean that:
Finding oil and gas reserves is easier and quicker
Drilling can take place in areas that were previously too cold or under deep seas
It is now possible to transport gas to a liquid for easier transport through liquefaction
The melting of permafrost due to global warming has also increased the accessibility of oil and gas reserves
There are disputes over which countries have the rights to which areas
Russian oil companies have been drilling for oil for over ten years
Gazprom announced recent success drilling in the Kara sea and Barents Sea
Benefits
Exploration of new areas creates many jobs and boosts the economy
Oil sales enable countries such as Norway to invest in social benefits/childcare
Education and care of the elderly are also funded in part through the sale of oil and gas
Gas and oil are abundant
The US government is extracting oil from the oilfields near Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
Over 50% of Alaska's income comes from oil and gas
Costs
Damage to Arctic fisheries and impact on the way of life of indigenous communities
Increased potential for oil spills
21,000 tonnes of oil spilt into the Ambarnaya river and surrounding subsoil
1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska
Oil spills will impact on many animals including whales, seals, polar bears, birds and whales
Heat from the terminal buildings, workers homes and transport to and from the oil fields has led to permafrost melt and buildings subsiding
Worked Example
Study Figure 1
Explain two social benefits for Norway's people from selling its oil
(4 marks)
These must be social benefits they cannot be just 'services'
Answer
Maintains a generous welfare system/maternity/childcare benefits (1) by selling most (85%) of its oil (1)
Support for its ageing population (1) comes from SWF’s global investments / 9,000 part-owned TNCs (1)
Norway’s 1 HDI ranking shows it must be benefiting socially (1) through education and health funding (1)
Norway can afford generous childcare payments (1) giving parents to choice to work if they want to (1)
Environmental Impacts
To meet the demand for energy new oil and gas sources are being exploited
The new sources include:
Tar sands
Shale
These are not how oil and gas are usually produced and so are called unconvectional energy sources
They don't require drilling/oil wells/oil platforms
Tar Sands
Tar sands are reservoirs of bitumen which is a heavy crude oil
Athabasca Oil Sands in Alberta Canada and Tunguska in Russia
The oil sands are made up of bitumen, silica, clay and water
Treating the bitumen to extract the oil uses huge quantities of water
Almost 60% of Canada's oil production is from tar sands
Worked Example
The Athabasca Tar Sands are an example of an 'unconventional oil source'
Define this term
(2 marks)
Answer
Unconventional sources’ (eg tar sands and oil shales) are obtained through other techniques (1) than the traditional well extraction/drilling (1)
Alternative way of removing oil from rock (1) Not the use of oil wells/oil platforms/oil drilling (1)
Shale gas
The process of extracting shale gas is known as hydraulic fracturing or 'fracking' for short
A mixture of sand, chemicals and water is pumped into shale rocks at high pressure
This shatters the rock and releases shale gas trapped in the rocks
Hydraulic fracturing 'fracking' process
Over 40% of USA's dry natural gas is shale gas
Environmental Costs of Oil and Gas Exploration from Unconventional Sources
Energy Source | Environmental Costs |
|---|---|
Tar Sands |
|
Shale |
|
Worked Example
Study Figure 1 and 2
The photograph and diagram show environmental impacts of the Athabasca Tar Sands exploitation
Using evidence from both resources, assess the view that the local impacts of tar sands mining are more severe than the global impacts
(8 marks)
Answer
The environmental impacts of mining are extremely severe locally. Huge opposition to the amount of environmental and ecological impact.
Environmental damage is not cost free, with longer term consequences that might be greater than short term economic benefits.
Issues of concentration and ‘overheating’ of Fort McMurray – environmental damage from migrant camps.
Only recently have the mining companies been forced to consider damage limitation strategies, some are short term goals (more efficient use of water), others such as CCS, longer term as a result of Alberta legislation, so this may lessen local impact.
The local impacts have a knock-on effect on global air pollution and especially climate warming. Failure to meet Kyoto targets has pressurised new government into greener strategies to improve Canada’s track record (Paris 2015).
Whilst acid rain is localised, can become a widespread problem.
Migratory birds more of a global problem
AO4
Locally, damage to water courses by overuse and pollution (Figure 8)
Scale of extent of scarring, size of trucks, piles of overburden and toxic tailings (Figure 8) and settling ponds
Possibility of water/air contamination leading to damage to fish, impact on human health as a result of food chain (Figure 9)
Clear cutting of trees (Figure 8), loss of habitat for Caribou and wilderness (First Nation subsistence living) (Figure 9).
Globally impact of contribution to GHGs (Figure 9), use of large supplies of fossil fuels in production (Figure 9)
Loss of birds on global migration routes (Figure 9)
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