Joint Development of Offshore Oil and Gas Resources in the Arctic Ocean Region and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

The Arctic Ocean region presents certain challenges to peaceful cooperation between states, particularly in the locations where ocean boundaries and ownership of the related resources are disputed. The establishment of Joint Development Zones (JDZs) for the development of offshore oil and gas resources in the Arctic Ocean can facilitate international cooperation over resource development where there are competing claims. These claims are generally based on continental shelf jurisdiction under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). There are several alternative dispute resolution measures available under UNCLOS, however, a number of states have preferred to adopt a JDZ as an interim measure to allow development. The significance of JDZs for the Arctic Ocean region is that they can allow peaceful cooperation and development where the specific circumstances of Arctic claims make it difficult for the respective states to agree on the maritime boundary.

John Abrahamson, Ph.D. (2015), Australian National University. He has presented on international taxation in Europe, North and South America, and the Asia Pacific. His publications include Tolley’s International Taxation of Upstream Oil and Gas (LexisNexis, 2017), International Taxation of Manufacturing (Kluwer, 2016), and International Taxation of Energy (Kluwer, 2018).