So, the Macondo well has finally stopped leaking and should be permanently sealed by the end of September, nearly five months since it first suffered a major blow-out. This has been confirmed as the world’s worst ever oil spill, with nearly five million barrels of oil having poured into waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Thousands of birds and sea life have been killed or badly injured and the economy of the adjacent coast, very dependent on the Gulf, has taken a serious knocking.

The search for oil and gas in the Arctic started more than 50 years ago, and several basins have proven productive. The most prolific province has certainly been the North Slope of Alaska, with Prudhoe Bay being the flagship oilfield of not only Alaska but also the entire U.S. and North America.