Some aspects of the Arctic continental shelf zoning
A new approach to the Arctic shelf zoning is given on the example of the Kara and Barents seas. With account of the risks of hydrocarbon fields development, legal aspects and geographical peculiarities of water boundaries, two following zones are identified: the continental Arctic waters and the remote Arctic shelf. In these zones, fields development has a number of specific features related to oil and gas production and transportation technology, that significantly affects the economic performances of the projects. This approach allows to disaggregate the problem of hydrocarbon resources development on the shelf and to range the time of hydrocarbon resources development on the shelf.