Energy

Canada’s federal and provincial governments approved a $500 million expansion of Red Chris gold mine and reopening of Eskay Creek near the Unuk River, despite objections from Alaskan tribes who say it risks contaminating salmon spawning waters that cross the border. The Southeast Alaska Indigenous Transboundary Commission has filed a judicial review demanding meaningful consultation for decisions that affect downstream ecosystems.

Russia’s next nuclear‑powered icebreaker, the Chukotka, will not enter service until 2027 instead of 2026, extending the timeline for expanding its Arctic fleet. The delay comes amid rising costs and technical hurdles, potentially affecting the year‑round use of the Northern Sea Route for LNG and oil shipments.

Novatek is adding more LNG carriers for the Arctic LNG 2 project, shipping record volumes via the Northern Sea Route to Beihai despite sanctions and an impending EU ban.

Norway’s energy minister criticized the European Commission for hypocritical opposition to Arctic oil and gas drilling, urging the EU to stop moralizing and allow production.

Turkish power group Karpowership acquires the 20-year-old Arctic Voyager LNG carrier after its charter with Equinor ends, marking a shift for a key vessel that has served Norway’s Snøhvit project since 2006.

A new proposal would let oil and gas drilling and seismic surveys in Alaska’s Arctic proceed without an environmental review, a move that could speed up exploration activities while sidestepping existing assessment safeguards.

Aker BP’s Skarv Satellite project now feeds oil from three subsea fields into FPSO Skarv a year ahead of schedule, adding about 120 million barrels of recoverable resources and delivering low‑CO₂ output. The early start also supplies Poland with over 4 billion cubic meters of natural gas, bolstering regional energy security.

The Tlicho Government and Yellowknives Dene First Nations finalized a route for the Arctic Economic and Security Corridor that will cut through key caribou habitat near Yellowknife, potentially harming Bathurst and Beverly herds as the plan moves to government approval.

Yamal LNG, Russia’s $27 billion Arctic project, is expanding Chinese access to Russian gas and could create a new shipping corridor from the Arctic Ocean to Europe, reshaping trade flows.

Regulators in the Northwest Territories are moving to replace net‑metering credits with lower net‑billing rates, a shift that could double bills for homeowners like Norah McNaughton who financed solar panels through federal loans.

Equinor, Aker BP and Vår Energi have teamed up to test 20‑25 high‑impact exploration sites on the Norwegian continental shelf over five years, targeting about five wells annually to secure new standalone projects as existing fields wane. Meanwhile, Equinor’s Phase 3 Stage 2 at Troll is now producing 55 bcm of gas—almost two years’ worth of France’s demand—to sustain Norway’s high‑north exports.

A federal judge upheld a decision that allows U.S. offshore drilling in the Arctic, keeping Trump’s revival of oil and gas exploration policy active.

A recent UNESCO inspection of Wood Buffalo National Park found progress under Parks Canada's $87 million action plan minimal since 2022, while Canada and Alberta push oil sands pipeline plans that critics say threaten the park’s delta ecosystem.

A new generator arrived at Iqaluit’s Qulliq Energy Corporation plant on Aug. 20 after weeks of power outages, and was moved through town by a convoy that included RCMP vehicles, restoring power capacity amid an aging infrastructure.

Korea’s Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries has drafted an enforcement decree for the Special Act on Promotion of the Arctic Sea Route, outlining measures to encourage maritime use of the northern shipping corridor.

UK leaders are divided over new North Sea oil licences—Labour has barred them, while the Conservatives and Reform UK call for expansion, and Prime Minister Burnham signals a pragmatic approach as BP exits and output wanes.

Critical Metals Corp.'s Tanbreez rare earth project in Greenland is on track to start production within three years, CEO Tony Sage said.