OREANDA-NEWS. April 01, 2015. The National Petroleum Council’s report on the opportunities for Arctic energy development runs nearly 600 pages. I expect that many readers might not make it past the highlights laid out in the 56-page executive summary.

But there are rewards for diving into the whole report.

In particular, I’ll note that some of the longest, most thorough sections are those dealing with the environment and with oil spill prevention, preparedness, and response.

As ExxonMobil’s Carol Lloyd mentions below in the video put together by the NPC, there have been substantial technological advancements in how industry works both to prevent spills and to respond in the unlikely event something occurs.

We hope – and expect – to never have to use those response capabilities, but we are ready if we do.

The Arctic Research Study details these various safety improvements and helps provide the context in which they have developed. In nearly a century of energy production in Arctic environments, we at ExxonMobil have learned that these technologies and processes are constantly evolving and improving. We don’t expect that to change.

The Council’s report addresses the understandable concerns people have about energy development in ecologically sensitive areas.

We share them too.

What our nearly 100 years of experience in the Arctic has shown, and what the NPC report confirms, is that safe and responsible energy development is possible with today’s technologies, techniques, and ever-growing knowledge base.

That’s good news for all of us – in government, NGOs, and business – who are dedicated to meeting the modern energy challenge to produce the resources the world needs while being wise stewards of the environment.