International Collaboration
The extended continental shelf delimitation exercise is not an adversarial process nor is it a race. In the Arctic Ocean, countries (Canada, Denmark, the U.S. and Russia) do work cooperatively.
In May 2008, the five Arctic Ocean coastal states reinforced the value of cooperation in continental shelf delimitation by attending the Arctic Ocean Conference, held in Ilulissat, Greenland. At this conference, Ministers agreed on the Ilulissat Declaration which confirmed that the five coastal states are cooperating in the Arctic Ocean within a ruled-based process of delimitation of the continental shelf.
Collaboration with Denmark
Both Canada and Denmark (Greenland) could use the Lomonosov Ridge, a submarine mountain range, to establish the outer limits of the continental shelf if this ridge is an elevation that is a natural extension of their land territory. Such claims would need to be supported by bathymetry, seismic and gravity data.
Recognizing that both countries could benefit from sharing costs and personnel, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in June 2005 between the Geological Survey of Canada and the Geological Survey of Greenland and Denmark for joint surveying in the area north of Greenland (Denmark) / Ellesmere Island (Canada).
In March 2006, Canada and Denmark carried out an on-ice expedition called The Lomonosov Ridge Test of Appurtenance (LORITA). The project was a joint effort between Natural Resources Canada, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Department of National Defence (CFS Alert), Environment Canada (Canadian Ice Service) and four Danish organizations. The expedition used CFS Alert as its base and included over 30 people (see Figure1).
The objective of the survey was to use seismometers to record the sound velocities of the sedimentary and crustal layers in order to show that the Ridge has an affinity with the nearby continental region.
The survey plan aimed at collecting seismic refraction information along a 400 km long line along the Lomonosov ridge, as well as along an east-west cross-line (see Figure2 for the location of the lines).
The expedition encountered difficult weather conditions – about 65-70 of the days were lost due to fog preventing the use of helicopters and airplanes.Therefore, it was not possible to acquire data along the entire length of the planned lines (see Figure 2).
Collaboration with the United States of America
In July 2007, Canadian and American officials discussed our respective continental shelf research programs, including opportunities for collaborative data acquisition in areas such as the western Arctic where both countries need to collect data. In September 2007, a U.S. scientist participated in Louis S. St-Laurent cruise in the Western Arctic. Canada and the US conducted a successful joint survey in the western Arctic in 2008. Canada's second joint survey with the US in the western Arctic will run from 7 August to 16 September 2009. Follow our scientists and read videographer Lawrence Taylor's log. Also visit the US Extended Continental Shelf Project for more details.
Collaboration with Russia
Canadian and Russian officials discussed our respective continental shelf research programs in March and November 2007, and lines of communication remain open. Russia, which ratified UNCLOS in 1997, is currently working to complete a revised submission to the Commission.
