Natural gas drilling and shipping expands along the Arctic Ocean

New York Times : Four years ago, enough ice melted in the Arctic Ocean to allow regular international shipping for the first time in recorded history. The associated thawing along Russia’s northern coastline has also made it financially viable to begin drilling the large natural gas deposits in the area. Novatek, which owns one such field, is beginning construction of a $20 billion liquefied natural gas plant in the area. The company plans to transport the gas by ship. During summer months, it will use the new Northeast Passage to China; during the winter, it will revert to traditional western routes. Novatek will be the first company to not transport Arctic gas via pipeline. Although shipping in the Arctic is expensive, it is cheaper than extending pipelines to new plants because the combination of new sturdier ship hull designs and less sea ice means they no longer need icebreaker escorts. Oil drilling and ore mining companies have also begun investing in projects to secure access to deposits and shipping capability throughout the Arctic.