Antarctica’s oil jackpot: Russia’s colossal find threatens to reshape geopolitics under the ice

Beneath Antarctica’s forbidding ice, a revelation is rattling global capitals. Russian scientists say they’ve uncovered one of the world’s largest untapped oil reserves — a colossal 511 billion barrels hidden under the Weddell Sea. Long shielded by treaties and ice, the frozen continent could be on the brink of becoming the next great frontier in the world’s intensifying energy wars.

According to NewsWeek, Russian researchers have reported finding one of the largest untapped oil reserves beneath Antarctica’s frozen surface. With an estimated 511 billion barrels of oil, the discovery could dwarf some of the world’s most significant existing reserves. To put this in perspective, the amount is around ten times greater than the output of the North Sea over the last 50 years and nearly double Saudi Arabia’s known oil reserves. The location of this massive find is in the Weddell Sea, a region claimed by the United Kingdom as part of its territorial interest in Antarctica.

The discovery emerged during Russian scientific expeditions in recent years. The area in question sits within the “British part” of Antarctica, overlapping with territorial claims from Argentina and Chile — a geopolitical tangle that has long simmered beneath the ice. Russia’s growing presence is now raising sharp questions about whether science is merely a cover for future resource grabs.

At the center of the debate is the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which designates the continent for peaceful scientific research and forbids military activity or resource exploitation. Signed by countries including the United States and the United Kingdom, the treaty was crafted to keep Antarctica free from economic plunder. Yet as Russia’s footprint expands, concerns are mounting that it’s testing the treaty’s limits under the banner of exploration.

Russia’s maneuvering comes amid an increasingly tense geopolitical climate, especially since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. That conflict has deepened Moscow’s rift with Western nations and fueled fears it may use Antarctica to assert influence and secure future energy supplies — a pattern not unfamiliar in global power rivalries.

Adding further complexity is China, which has established its fifth Antarctic research base as it eyes potential resources. Beijing and Moscow have recently aligned on several strategic fronts, opposing Western efforts to expand marine protected areas in the region.

Some analysts now speculate the two powers could coordinate their ambitions, potentially challenging the governance structure that has kept Antarctica off-limits for decades. Russia maintains its activities remain purely scientific. According to statements from the Russian government, no steps have been taken to exploit the newly reported oil reserves.