Russia reports discovery of oil and gas in Argentine Antarctic region and sounds global alarm

New one stop alarm In the international system. Russia leaked information Search one of vast hydrocarbon reserves In the area of ​​Antarctica on which Argentina plants its flag. This is also the area where the United Kingdom and Chile dispute the location. “Russia discovered reserves petroleum And gas In the British Antarctic Territory. Includes estimated value of 511 billion barrels of oil10 times the North Sea production over the last 50 years,” he said. brix newsThe official X channel of the group composed of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

The news was explosive, given that Russia’s activity on the White Continent may have violated Antarctic Treaty, It is an international agreement signed in 1959 by Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, the Union of Southern Africa, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The first article of that agreement provides that Antarctica shall be used “exclusively for peaceful purposes.” And it prohibits all measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, carrying out military maneuvers, as well as testing weapons of all types. Authorizes the use only of military personnel or equipment scientific research or for any other peaceful purpose,

The discovery reported by BRICS News is equivalent to 30 times that of Vaca Muerta. For a long time, Russia has implemented Antarctic Geology Mapping and Survey Programboth terrestrial and underwater, but recent data indicate that its research ships They may have discovered gas and oil reserves equivalent to 511,000 million barrels of oilapproximately an amount Ten times more than the total production of the North Sea in fifty years.

The Argentine government is following the issue closely, although they have opted for public silence. Casa Rosada knows that the Kremlin has this data on hydrocarbon reserves from 2020. This issue was the subject of debate in the British Parliament last week. The English newspaper Telegraph reiterated this on Saturday through a note signed by journalist Jonathan Leak. In any case, there is no certainty that Russian action is “likely.”

However, Russia did not make the information official, although it did not comment on the BRICS news cable, a grouping of which Moscow is a part. This is news that increases tension in the international system.

Antarctica is a strategic location that arouses special sensitivity for the global community. That’s why this news increases tension geopolitics For the world, given that this is happening in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. According to the Antarctic Treaty and the Protocol on Environmental Protection, any form of mineral exploitation is prohibited, but scientific research is not.

In addition to the Russian presence in Antarctica for scientific research, there is global skepticism about Vladimir Putin’s intentions to exploit natural resources and carry out deployments that serve military purposes. Two aspects prohibited by the Antarctic Treaty.

Russia’s ability to carry out prospecting activities in Antarctica This has not only geopolitical implications, but also environmental ones. Antarctica is an extremely fragile ecosystem, the conservation of which is important not only for its biodiversity but also for its role in regulating the global climate.

researchers were on board Russian ship has made a discovery that could redefine the global energy future, but it also threatens the peace and science that have historically characterized it. Antarctica, These reserves, which represent approximately ten times everything produced by the North Sea Over half a century, these could have significant consequences, not only economically but also geopolitically and environmentally.

The probability is that Russia Considering that the exploitation of these resources has given rise to concerns among Member States Antarctic Treaty, which explicitly prohibits any activity related to the extraction of minerals and the militarization of the area. This treaty was signed during cold warHas served as a bastion of peace and scientific cooperation. Prospecting activities under the guise of science They question the effectiveness of the agreement and Russia’s willingness to abide by its principles.