From whale to crude oil: Lessons from the North American Arctic

“Our oil would burn bright til morning:” Geopolitics, resource securitization, and Anglo-American competition for whale oil, 1783–1818

“…Graham [13] argues that the whale fisheries provided an improved stock of sailors, crucial to the maintenance of a superior navy in an era of increasing naval competition. Once its utility as a source of illumination became eclipsed by natural gas and electricity, and its value in improving the stock of sailors diminished by the arrival of the steamboats, whale oil's centrality to national defence strategies remained high, as its derivative products became integral to the development of explosives, such as dynamite [9]: 136.…”

“…So, whale oil occupies a curious space in the history of industrialization. On one hand, it was indispensable to modernization: it provided light that could regularize working hours, it lubricated the machines that powered the industrial revolution [9]: 136. On the other hand, it was uniquely suited for a post-colonial relationship.…”

“…It demonstrates that we should not expect a linear trajectory in the transition towards renewables: complexity is inherent in the transition from one global energy system to another, and so is uncertainty [60]. As was the case with whale oil in the late 19 th Century [9]; [57], emerging technologies provide new venues for prolonging the marketability of fossil fuels. For example, even if we decarbonize global electricity supply, global growth in sea and air transport and petrochemicals will ensure future demand for oil and natural gas.…”

“…Considering these questions together allows for insights that could be missed by addressing either alone. The insights provided by the whale oil case clarify the dynamics of energy securitization [9]; [3], while allowing for the reconsideration of how transitions towards renewable energy sources will reshape global politics [10]. Consequently, connecting the physicality of whale oil to energy politics and geopolitics demonstrates that the politics of security and of energy transitions are mutually constitutive.…”

A perfect moment during imperfect times: Arctic energy research in a low-carbon era

“…Corine Wood-Donnelly reminds the reader that the rush for Arctic energy riches is not a recent phenomenon. 36 She explores the history of whaling in the North American Arctic and draws intriguing comparisons with the most recent quest for Arctic oil and gas. She develops four historic lessons that corporate and government decision-makers would be wise to consider before committing significant resources to another Arctic energy quest.…”