Discovery of oil reserves in Antarctica sparks international controversy.

The oil has become a powerful source of industrial materials, a hydrocarbon deposited in geological formations that as an industry represents one of the most powerful in the global economy. In this regard, the recent discovery of vast reserves of this oily liquid and gas has sparked global alarms, and above all generated controversy because the place where it was discovered is classified as a protected region whose territory is immersed in a historical claim by several countries. Find out what it is, where it is located, by how much it surpasses Venezuela, and how Russia ended up finding it. From plastic containers to the generation of electricity, these are just some of the multiple uses that fall upon oil, now so mentioned due to the millions of barrels reserved and discovered by Russia through research vessels operated by the country's largest geological holding governed by Vladimir Putin. The discovery presented before the Environmental Audit Committee of the House of Commons has caused great controversy, not only because of the attention-grabbing figure of 511,000 million barrels, but also because it occurred in areas belonging to the so-called British Antarctic Territory, which has been the subject of sovereignty claims for several years. According to information shared by the UK media outlet called The Telegraph on May 11, and also disseminated by the BRICS news platform consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, the waters of Antarctica were explored by the vessel Alexander Karpinsky operated by Rosgeo, the largest geological holding in the Russian Federation, and the discovery of what would be the world's largest oil reserve to date was registered. With around 511,000 million barrels, exceeding about 10 times the total production of the North Sea over 50 years, the Russian discovery currently establishes that the Antarctic continent possesses the most impressive quantities of this non-renewable resource that powers various economies of the world, including Venezuela representing South America, and others classified within the Top 3. In relation to the controversy linked to the required hydrocarbon deposited in geological formations, it is worth noting that the Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on Environmental Protection, signed in Madrid on October 4, 1991, and in force since 1998, determines the prohibition of "all activities related to mineral resources except those for scientific purposes" in Antarctica, as it is a "natural reserve dedicated to peace and science." Internationally, various countries generate income through the extraction of valuable hydrocarbons such as oil, but only 3 are among those with the largest amount of reserves ready for export and subsequent production of various products. In that sense, we will highlight today each of the nations whose strength lies in carrying out the process of drilling a particular well located on the surface of the terrain in order to transform this oily liquid into containers, tires, and other similar products according to their characteristics of density, viscosity, color, and calorific capacity. Considering various aspects, Venezuela as a South American representative occupies the top spot in the list of countries worldwide with the largest amount of oil reserves, with 27.6 million barrels of crude oil exported in 2024, closely followed by Saudi Arabia (3 million), and Canada in the third position. It is important to note that proven reserves are a measure of both the energy of fossil fuels and such precious hydrocarbon, as well as natural gas and coal. Oil is used as fuel in power plants to generate electricity, where it is burned in boilers to heat water and produce steam that is then used to move turbines and generate electricity. This is one of the most traditional ways of generating electricity, but it is increasingly being used less due to the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Oil is the main source of fuel for vehicles and heavy machinery in the form of derivatives such as gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel essential for the transportation of people and goods. Oil is an essential component in the production of some construction materials such as waterproofing bitumens, and of course asphalt, as well as an indispensable material in the operation of transportation infrastructure such as roads and airports. Plastics are used in a wide variety of products, from packaging and packaging to electronics and toys. However, the excessive use of plastics is causing significant environmental problems such as sea pollution and the accumulation of waste in landfills. Oil is used as a fuel for heating and cooking in homes and commercial buildings around the world. Oil-derived fuels are burned in boilers or stoves to produce thermal energy used to heat water and air inside buildings. As fuel, oil derivatives are burned in boilers or burners to generate high temperatures in foundry furnaces, allowing metals to melt and impurities to be removed. It is worth mentioning that some oil derivatives are used as lubricants to grease the machinery used in metallurgy and other types of industries.