Schaub, 6:00
L04
ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICAL ISSUES IN ARCTIC DRILLING
Jaclyn Siewert (jcs135@pitt.edu)
INTRODUCTION: A PROPOSAL
Years from now, I can imagine myself working for Exxon
Mobil, overseeing drilling operations in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge. I have a position of leadership, though I still
report to people above me, and I very much enjoy my job.
One day, my boss brings a proposal to my desk to open a new
area for drilling within the 1002 area, and wants my opinion.
He shows me the area on a map, and I tell him I will do some
research and give him my opinion on the project the following
day. After my boss leaves my office, I begin to look into the
proposed drilling site. A study was conducted in the area
recently, showing a large population of polar bears, many of
whom have dens there to give birth to their young. I begin to
think about the project. Certainly I do not want to disturb the
polar bear population, whose species is already threatened
from climate change. But on the other hand, my company
could greatly benefit from drilling in this new site. I am faced
with an ethical issue. I want to make an informed decision to
give to my boss the following day, so I begin to research.
CONSIDERING THE OPTIONS
I will need to consult many sources to help myself make
an informed decision on this issue. I need to remain ethical
in my choice, keeping in mind the lives of the polar bears
potentially at risk, as well as the success of my company. I
will find codes of ethics for various engineering societies
and apply them to my situation. I will also find opinions on
engineering ethics via articles. I would like to learn more
about how sustainable development applies to this situation.
Sustainable development is a method of human development
in which resource use intends to meet human needs while
ensuring the sustainability of natural systems and the
environment, so that these needs can be met in the present
and for future generations. I will search for sources
pertaining to sustainable oil drilling, as well as other
resources to help make a final decision to give to my boss
the next day.
CODES OF ETHICS
I begin to look up a few codes of ethics. I start with that of
the National Society of Professional Engineers. I know it must
say something about protecting the environment. In section 3,
canon 2 I found the statement “Engineers are encouraged to
adhere to the principles of sustainable development in order
to protect the environment for future generations” [1]. As I
read over the sentence a few times, I think about how it
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pertains to my situation. Drilling for oil anywhere affects the
environment, and I know all measures must be taken to
minimize harm to it. I then find the guide for professional
conduct for the Society of Petroleum Engineers, which is a
professional code of ethics. Its tenth statement says, “Seek to
adopt technical and economic measures to minimize
environmental impact” [2]. If I decide to tell my boss I am in
favor of drilling in the new area, I will have to make sure we
use as environmentally friendly technology as possible. If
drilling were to occur, I would strive to find ways of
effectively extracting the oil, while minimizing the effect on
the polar bears living nearby. After reading the codes
themselves, I decide to learn what people have to say about
engineering ethics in general and within the subject of the
environment.
THE NEED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
ETHICS IN ENGINEERING
I begin to search for articles about engineering ethics in
order to see what people have to say about them. The first
one I find discusses the environmental ethics in engineering.
It states, “Engineering ethics requires engineers to act to
ensure the health and safety of the public and to work
towards sustainable development” [3]. Sustainable
development usually deals with finding alternatives to oil,
but since I am working for an oil drilling company, I cannot
exactly do that. Working toward sustainable development
would require innovative technology to minimize the impact
on the environment, while still accomplishing the task of
drilling oil. This article says that engineers should act in the
best interest of the environment, which is something I have
not always done. There would probably be more public
support for oil drilling if the ecosystems were less affected.
The article also says that “engineers should be aware of and
accountable for their role in…ecological destruction” [3]. As
petroleum engineers, we know the obvious risks to the
environment, such as oil spills. Large spills can lead to
ecological destruction, and many steps can be taken to
prevent them, but it is unlikely that spills will be completely
preventable. Petroleum engineers are aware of those
destructive incidents, but not all may be aware of the smaller
disturbances, such as noise and air pollution, which can
harm nearby species, specifically the polar bears. I should
consider more carefully all of the possible dangers involved
in drilling that could pose a threat to the environment. The
article says that our role as engineers in ecological
modernization is focused on the development of new
technologies to deliver ecological efficiency. We should also
focus on the relationship between technology, society, and
Jaclyn Siewert
nature. If we can design technology to benefit society and
nature, and think about how society and nature are
connected themselves, we can complete our task without
harming our surroundings. Another article I found discusses
how the ASCE code of ethics has a section discussing the
environment, but the way it is worded implies that if an
engineer considers the environmental ethics principles and
then rejects them, he or she has not acted unethically. This
shows that environmental ethics are not where they should
be, and their writers are continuing to revise and update
them [4]. After reading about ethics, I decide to research
more into people’s views of arctic drilling, as well as the
polar bear lifestyle and how drilling in their habitat might
affect them.
equipment can lower air emissions, which horizontal
directional drilling does by easier construction. Launched
from a few feet square, horizontal directional drilling
requires less area than vertical drilling. The entire footprint
of a drill site may be less than a thirty meter square. Vertical
drilling requires large drill pads, and roadways to connect
them for rig and vehicle access. Horizontal directional
drilling results in minimal surface disturbance and noise
reduction because with a smaller area, the drill site can be
placed farther from polar bear life [6].
Many pipelines can be hidden, and can create fewer longterm impacts than those created by increased residential and
commercial development, unless carelessness leads to the
event of an oil spill, but if I were to say yes to this proposal,
I would do everything in my power to prevent oil spills by
taking seemingly excessive precautions, like setting
guidelines for careful extraction and transportation.
The leading cause of air-emission issues associated with
drill rigs is dependence on diesel engines which historically
have been the technology used to provide power for the
many motors that operate the rig. The easiest way to reduce
air emissions is to replace the diesel engines with alternative
motors. This comes at a high cost though. Rig conversions
and development of new rigs that are compatible with
alternative motors are very expensive [7]. I would have to
think about the value to the polar bears of the expensive
replacement, which would significantly reduce noise and
lead to a more environmentally friendly drill pad.
Another way to keep polar bear disturbance to a
minimum is the proper disposal of drilling fluids. Drilling
mud, produced water, and other byproducts can have a
harmful effect on the environment in the event of an
uncontrolled release. Many methods have been created for
proper disposal, such as biological treatment (composting),
thermal methods, chemical methods (precipitation), and
physical methods (filtration). There is also a large amount of
legislation to protect the environment by proper disposal of
drilling fluids. These include the National Environmental
Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Clean Air Act.
Strict enforcement of these laws by the Environmental
Protection Agency and the Bureau of Land Management
exist as well [7]. Because of all of this, the issue of disposal
would not be difficult to take care of if drilling in the new
area were to occur.
POINTS OF VIEW ON ARCTIC DRILLING
First I find a points of view article that explains why
some people are for or against drilling in the Arctic National
Wildlife Refuge. Environmentalists and other opponents of
arctic drilling argue that the amount of oil recovered will not
justify the negative environmental impacts. Could the
amount of oil produced in this new area possibly be worth
the risk to the polar bears? I begin to ask myself difficult
questions. The article says proponents stress that new
technologies and increased ecological sensitivity would limit
the environmental impacts of drilling. I do believe this is
true. As long as engineers pay attention to the possible
harmful effects to the species in the area, the impact will not
be as great. There is a large amount of support for drilling in
the arctic, so expanding the drilling area should have only
positive effects as far as backing goes. Americans are
divided on the issue because while they value the
preservation of wilderness, they also like to see lower gas
prices, which expanded domestic drilling would lead to. The
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service believes that the disturbance
caused by drilling will have significant effects on the entire
food chain, including polar bears [5].
SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY FOR
ARCTIC DRILLING
I find some information on innovative technology that
will help move toward sustainable development while still
achieving the goal of extracting sufficient amounts of oil.
As far as remediation goes, horizontal directional drilling is
the most sustainable method. The relatively new technology
involves shallow drilling in a horizontal direction, and can
be constructed under streams, rivers, and protected coastal
wildlife zones, with virtually no direct impact on protected
habitats. The construction of older technologies similar to
this required large amounts of air pollution and land area.
Horizontal directional drilling can result in overall
reductions of air emissions by lowering the level of effort
needed to construct it. Minimizing the use of heavy
PROTECTION FOR POLAR BEARS
In 2010, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service set aside
187,000 square miles off Alaska as a protected habitat for
polar bears. The area is not off limits for oil drilling, but
projects must undergo careful review before beginning in the
area [8]. If polar bears are disturbed in the area my boss
intends to drill, they do have safe places to go nearby. But
forcing the animals to relocate at all seems a little harsh to
me. In 2008, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided to
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Jaclyn Siewert
list the polar bear as a “threatened species” under the
Endangered Species Act. The Alaska government fought it
on the basis of no factual evidence of population decline,
only predictions based on oil drilling and climate change [9].
Polar bears clearly have a lot of protection from the federal
government, so if their population was affected by our
drilling in their habitat, we could face criticism from both
the government and the public. I will have to think over this
decision carefully.
we were to drill in the new area. After much research and
thought, I have decided that I will tell my boss that I do not
favor his proposal to expand drilling to the new site, as there
would be too many negative effects on the polar bears living
there. I believe my decision was carefully thought about, and
I am doing what is best for the bears in accordance with the
codes of ethics set out by the engineering societies I belong
to.
REFERENCES
OTHER RESOURCES
[1] “NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers.” (2013). National
Society of Professional Engineers. (Website).
http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html?printer
Friendly=true
[2] “Guide for Professional Conduct.” (2013). Society of
Petroleum Engineers. (Website).
http://www.spe.org/about/docs/professionalconduct.pdf
[3] S. Bell. (2011). “Environmental Ethics.” Engineers,
Society, and Sustainability. (Online Book). pp. 43-44.
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/pitt/docDetail.action?docID=10535
245
[4] P. Aarne Vesilind. (2012). “Sustainability.” Engineering
Ethics: Looking Back, Looking Forward. (Online Article).
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11948-0129374-7/fulltext.html#Sec11
[5] S. Driscoll, M. Griswold. (2013). “Arctic Drilling: An
Overview.” Points of View: Arctic Drilling. (Online Article).
http://web.ebscohost.com/pov/detail?sid=d8ad70d4-5eaa4f44-92ec3ab267f014a4%40sessionmgr115&vid=2&hid=127&bdata=
JnNpdGU9cG92LWxpdmU%3d#db=pwh&AN=23169082
[6] M. Lubrecht. (2012). “Horizontal Directional Drilling: A
Green and Sustainable Technology for Site Remediation.”
Environmental Science & Technology. (Online Article).
http://rt4rf9qn2y.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.
88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fm
t=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=
Horizontal+Directional+Drilling%3A+A+Green+and+Sustai
nable+Technology+for+Site+Remediation&rft.jtitle=Enviro
nmental+Science+%26+Technology&rft.au=Michael+D+Lu
brecht&rft.date=2012-0306&rft.pub=American+Chemical+Society&rft.issn=0013936X&rft.eissn=15205851&rft.volume=46&rft.issue=5&rft.spage=2484&rft.exter
nalDocID=2609364381&paramdict=en-US
[7] “Sustainable Drilling of Onshore Oil and Gas Wells.”
(2011). NPC North American Resource Development Study.
(Online Article). pp. 9-11.
http://www.npc.org/Prudent_Development-Topic_Papers/223_Sustainable_Drilling_of_Onshore_Oil_and_Gas_Wells_
Paper.pdf
[8] “US Designates ‘Critical’ Polar Bear Habitat in Arctic.”
(2010). Daily News Egypt. (Newspaper Article).
I begin to search for information on the direct effects of
oil drilling on polar bear life. I read a section about it on the
World Wildlife Fund website. Apparently, when a bear
comes in contact with oil from a spill, its insulating abilities
are damaged, and it must make up for the energy and heat
loss by consuming more calories, which can be hard to find,
especially when climate change is affecting the seal
population. Polar bears can also be poisoned by even a
small amount of ingested oil from their fur or prey.
Operations at drill sites such as seismic blasts and
transportation can cause disturbances to the bears. Their
habitat can also be affected dramatically from local drilling
[10]. I was not aware of the many dangers oil drilling posed
to polar bears. This makes me more wary about opening
drilling where there is a large population.
I proceed to watch some videos of polar bears and come
across one that shows a mother bear and her cub emerging
from their den after hibernation to find it surrounded by a
drill site. They do not seem too concerned as they explore
the equipment, and they leave the area completely not long
after. Even so, it made me sad to see that a polar bear would
go into hibernation to have her cub and a few months later,
come out to a whole new world, an unnatural one [11]. I do
not want that to happen under my company’s watch. If we
do drill in this new area, I want to make sure there is
absolutely no polar bear activity, but since the area is so full
of them, that could be difficult, and it may not be worth the
effort.
CONCLUSION: AN INFORMED DECISION
After much research and consideration, I believe I have
come to a conclusion. I have learned about how polar bears
are affected by noise, air pollution, and oil spills. I have read
codes of ethics and found specific statements that relate to
this issue, as well as articles about ethics so I can relate them
to my situation better. I have looked into innovative
technology that will lead to a more sustainable way of
extracting oil, and keeping the surrounding area clean and
healthy for local species, especially polar bears. I have
researched public and government opinions on drilling in the
arctic to see if it would be worth possible criticism. I also
found evidence of safer areas where polar bears can thrive if
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Jaclyn Siewert
http://rt4rf9qn2y.search.serialssolutions.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.
88-2004&ctx_enc=info%3Aofi%2Fenc%3AUTF8&rfr_id=info:sid/summon.serialssolutions.com&rft_val_fm
t=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.atitle=
US+designates+%27critical%27+polar+bear+habitat+in+Ar
ctic&rft.jtitle=Daily+News+Egypt&rft.date=2010-1125&rft.pub=Al+Bawaba+%28Middle+East%29+Ltd&rft.ext
ernalDocID=2197620431&paramdict=en-US
[9] L. O’Neil. (2011). “State of Alaska Fights Polar Bear’s
Status as Threatened Species.” Energy Intelligence Group.
(Online Article).
http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?action=interpret&id=GALE
%7CA267520724&v=2.1&u=upitt_main&it=r&p=AONE&
sw=w&authCount=1
[10] “Threats to Polar Bears.” (1999). World Wildlife Fund.
(Website).
http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/where_we_work/arctic/w
ildlife/polar_bear/threats/#oilgas
[11] “Polar Bears Awake to Find Oil Rig Built Around
Den.” (2011). WGALTV. (Video).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcoFlt2qj9g
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the writing center and Dr. Budney
for assigning this paper, so I could learn more about ethics in
engineering, as well as petroleum engineering, which I am
interested in. I would like to thank the writing instructors
for giving me tips on how to improve my writing. I would
also like to thanks the people in the engineering library for
showing me how to find library sources about ethics and my
topic.
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Jaclyn Siewert
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