Russia can wait for a sustained recovery in oil prices before drilling again in Arctic waters, relying for now on less costly regions even as rival producer Norway accelerates development of its northerly fields. “We estimate production costs for the Russian Arctic offshore in the range of $70 to $100 a barrel,” Energy Minister Alexander Novak said by email. These reserves “are our backup stock,” he said before the International Arctic Forum in Russia’s Arkhangelsk, which starts Wednesday. While crude is languishing at around $51 a barrel — less than half the price of mid-2014 — analysts at Morgan Stanley forecast a rebound to $70 by the end of 2019 as bloated global stockpiles decline. As Russia waits, Norway’s Arctic waters may host a record number of wells this year following recent discoveries, new government license awards and efficiency gains. Russia plans to boost exploration in the Arctic Barents […]