Rosneft will monitor ice conditions in the Arctic
This photography shows icebergs in the Arctic Ocean, north of western Russia. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons/Mike Dunn, NOAA Climate Program Office)
The Russian oil company Rosneft is considering a project to create an integrated management system for ice conditions in the Arctic.
This to ensure industrial and environmental safety of geological exploration in offshore northern seas, reports news agency Arctic-Info in Moscow, Russia.
According to Artur Chilingarov, a member of the Rosneft Board of Directors in charge of Arctic projects, the oil company and partners such as ExxonMobil is now developing technology to ensure the safety of drilling works in the Kara Sea. This work is scheduled for August, 2014.
According to the Russian newspaper Izvestia one of the major issues that needs to be addressed is what to do with icebergs, which are a danger to oil production.
This is what the Deputy Director of environmental safety of Rosneft, Oleg Sochnev, has to say about the issue:
- Because of an accumulation of icebergs, it is difficult to get to the place of exploration and drill a well. The lack of experience of active influence on the ice creates the greatest risks in terms of industrial and environmental safety of oil and gas production. It is therefore very important in the short run to test the impact of ice on marine oil and gas installations, as well as for any possible environmental risks.
The icebergs and their accumulations will be monitored both from space, as well as using aircraft and drones.
Rosneft is an integrated oil company majority owned by the Government of Russia, and according to Arctic-Info the company actively finances scientific and environmental projects in the Arctic.