Russia Eyes Extension Opportunities in Arctic

Russia’s authorities discussed a possible extension of the country’s continental shelf, paying a particular attention to the opportunities on the Arctic. 

‘Vladimir Putin held a working meeting with Natural Resources and Environment Minister Sergei Donskoy to discuss the inclusion of an enclave in the Sea of Okhotsk in Russia’s continental shelf and application to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) to extend Russia’s continental shelf in the Arctic,’ reads a note released by the Kremlin on Friday.

According to Donskoy, the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved Russian application concerning the enclave of international water in the Sea of Okhotsk, putting an end to the 13-year legal arm-wrestling with Japan. 

“Under the Convention [On the Law of the Sea], the Commission’s decision is irreversible and no international body will dispute it. It is just a case then of having to go through the formalities now. I hope that we will do this quickly,” Donskoy told Putin.

Russia is also working on a second application concerning its territory in the Arctic, which is considered “bigger and more important.” Moscow should translate its plans into action by the summer of 2015. According to Donksoy, it all comes down to diplomatic considerations. The Minister expects to file the Arctic application in spring 2015.

In the meantime, Russia’s top oil producer Rosneft announced on Friday it had kicked off geophysical surveys in the eastern Artic, collaborating with ExxonMobil on the six areas the two companies decided to jointly explore.