Space and timing: why was the Barents Sea delimitation dispute resolved in 2010?

Figures & data

Figure 1.  Map of the previously disputed area and petroleum discoveries in the Barents Sea. On the Russian side, Shtokman, Ludlovskoe and Ledovoe are all giant gas fields in terms of resources. The actual commercial potential in the latter two remains uncertain however, due to limited exploration. Other discovered gas fields, i.e. Severo-Kildinskoye, Murmanskoye are small and complicated and have so far been considered uneconomical to develop. One relatively small oil field in the Pechora Sea, Prirazlomnoye, is expected to start producing in 2012 and other fields in that area may be later connected to its infrastructure. On the Norwegian side the gas field Snøhvit has been producing since 2007 and the development of the oil field Goliat is underway. Nucula and Skrugard are the other promising oil discoveries.

Table 1. Russian resource estimates for the disputed area.

	Initial total resources MMt oil equivalents	Oil MMt	Associated gas BCM	Free gas BCM	Condensate MMt
In place	7481	1200	170		248
Recoverable	6446	360	51	5863	172
Source: All-Russian Petroleum Exploration Research Institute (2005).

Table 2. Border treaties negotiated by Russia 1990–2010.

3 September	1990	Protocol between North Korea and the USSR on delimitation of the border between the two countries
16 May	1991	Border agreement between China and the USSR
27 January	1994	Treaty on intersection of borders of China, Mongolia and Russia
3 September	1994	Border agreement between China and Russia (western part of the border)
September	1997	Treaty between Lithuania and Russia on the border between Lithuania and Kaliningrad
3 November	1998	Border treaty between China, North Korea and Russia on the intersection of their borders at the Tumen River
5 May	1999	Agreement between China, Kazakhstan and Russia on the intersection of the borders between the three countries
28 January	2003	Border treaty between Russia and Ukraine
9 February	2004	Protocol between North Korea and Russia amending 1985 protocol between North Korea and the USSR
14 October	2004	Additional agreement between China and Russia on the western part of the border, finalizing the entire border between the two countries
18 January	2005	Border treaty between Kazakhstan and Russia
18 May	2005	Border treaty between Estonia and Russia (later frozen by Russia in connection with spat between the two countries)
20 June	2006	Treaty on the intersection of the borders between Lithuania, Poland and Russia
27 March	2007	Border treaty between Latvia and Russia
17 May	2010	Treaty on procedure for demarcation of borders between Russia and Ukraine
15 September	2010	Treaty on maritime boundary delimitation between Russia and Norway
Sources: Rosgranitsa (2011); Alexseev and Vagin (1999); Baev (1998); Hirsch (2000); Lo (2005); Makarychev (2005); Menon (1995); Okuyama (2003); Selliaas (2002); Virkkunen (2001); Uibopuu (1995); Szajkowski (1993); Lukin (1998); Kimura (2005); Posol'stvo Rossii v Kitae (2010); Muradyan (2008); Lapenko (2008); Mikheev (1998); Presidential Press Service (2007); Sabyrov, n.d.

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