Posts Tagged ‘Russia’

From The Gulf Of Mexico To The Arctic Ocean: Offshore Oil Drilling Continues

Friday, February 18th, 2011

oil-rig.jpg
(photo credit: Stig Nygaard)

Russia needs more oil, and BP (remember them?) wants to help them get it… in the middle of the Arctic Ocean.

  • Despite growing recognition that oil isn’t a long-term energy solution, worldwide demand for petroleum has been rising. At the same time, the world’s largest oil producer is running out of that black gold. On land, anyway.
  • Drilling for oil in the Arctic carries significant dangers, both to the environment and to workers. The waters are freezing, there is little sunlight, and rescue missions will be difficult or impossible in the thick ice.
  • The U.S. and Canada also have access to the oil-rich Arctic, but they both have regulations in place that limit exploration and drilling. Still, many Western oil companies like BP are eagerly piling on to the Russian project because of the opportunity for profit.

Facts & Figures

  • The Arctic probably contains a fifth of the world’s natural gas and oil
  • By 2035, the Siberian oil fields will produce 1 million fewer barrels of oil per day
  • Drilling will begin in the Kara Sea – a former dumping ground for nuclear waste

Best Quote

“One beaten man is worth two unbeaten men.” – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, on why working with BP is a good idea even after the disastrous Deepwater Horizon oil spill

What do you think?

What should Russia do now that its biggest national export is running out? Does it make more sense to spend money on a short-term solution or a long-term one?

Moral Cleanup Or Reckless Crackdown?

Wednesday, July 1st, 2009

Here’s an interesting topic for debate: how should anti-vice programs be carried out? Below is the Russian government’s solution to the problem, but it’s a very controversial one.

  • In accordance with Prime Minister Putin’s anti-vice plan, the Russian government is closing every casino and slot-machine parlor in the country. This move will result in the loss of hundreds of thousands of jobs.
  • Casinos’ only option will be to relocate to one of four remote, backwoods areas of the country. However, none of these regions are prepared for such a move, and it is expected to take at least several years before a casino will be able to reopen there.
  • The gambling industry has proposed the creation of a regulatory body to keep the casinos clean and safe, but the government has refused to compromise.

Facts & Figures

  • The World Bank estimates that the Russian economy will decline by 7.9% in 2009.
  • According to the gambling industry, 400,000 workers will be thrown out of work as a result of the ban.
  • The gambling industry pays an estimated $1 billion in taxes annually.

Best Quote

“The authorities are taking this step without thinking at all. They have not considered what this decision means for the workers. With the crisis, it is going to be very difficult for us.” – Irina Mysachka, Supervisor at Moscow’s Shangri-La Casino