International   

45 countries in race for huge swaths of seabed

London: Britain is poised to get much bigger. South Africa, Russia, France, Brazil, Australia and Ireland are hoping to expand too. In fact, 45 countries with coastlines qualify for potential “extended underwater territory” rights under the new U.N. Law of the Sea Convention.

This new law, due to come into force in a few years time, has provoked a scramble for underwater land almost as fierce as the one for Africa in the 19th century when European countries divided up the continent between them.

The 21st century land rush is likely to be the last big shift in land ownership in centuries and reflects the necessity to claim new seams of the Earth’s resources.

In total, as much as 4.35 million sqkm — an area similar in size to Australia — is believed to be at stake. It includes the Arctic where Russia recently claimed land below the North Pole, new islands off India which have emerged from the sea, and Pacific Ocean islands claimed by Australia. But to claim the new underwater land, countries must be able to show that it is an extension of their own topography, and not just a gratuitous land grab. All claims must be staked by spring 2009, which is why there is a rush to gather scientific evidence to support submissions.

The new U.N. law means that specks in the oceans, such as Ascension Island and the Falklands have acquired new diplomatic significance. With each landfall comes the possibility of a 550 km circle of hydrocarbon and mineral potential. The lure of the Earth’s final frontiers is the possibility of oil, gas and minerals deposits. Shrinking resources and growing energy needs mean any new territory is at a premium, particularly as new technologies are changing the face of exploration. The idea of drilling for diamonds off South Africa, or for oil 9 km deep off Australia seemed impossible only a decade ago. Today they are real possibilities.

There is also growing awareness of “oil peak”, the point when global demand for oil will outstrip supply. This week Lord Oxburgh, former chairman of Shell, told a conference in Ireland the tipping point could come within 20 years as production levelled and new deposits became harder to find. “The world may be sleepwalking into a problem which is actually going to be very serious and it may be too late to do anything about it by the time we are fully aware,” he said.

Britain has long been aware of the potential of three of its territorial gains. Its companies have seismically tested the seabed off Ascension Island, Rockall and the Falklands. However, geologists are optimistic that a large area of seabed running from the Bay of Biscay past the west coast of Ireland and into the Atlantic could be hiding a massive new oilfield. — © Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2007

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Election shadow over Labour meet
Fukuda to succeed Abe
Tamil parties on LTTE hitlist, says Colombo
45 countries in race for huge swaths of seabed
U.S. Treasury Secretary to attend FORTUNE Global Forum
India, Russia mulling over moon mission

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu