Rosneft builds base on Laptev Sea coast
It will be permanently manned and do research on climate and environment in the area.
The new base will be located on the shore of the Katanga Bay, close to where the oil company has three of its Arctic offshore license areas. It will be formally established during the ongoing expedition Kara-Leto-2016, a major operation conducted together with the Arctic Research Institute and the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Rosneft informs.
«This will be our research outpost for development and testing of new technology, technical equipment and materials», the company writes in a press release.
By the end of 2016, the base will be equipped with housing blocks and laboratory accessories. It will also include a meteorological station and three underwater buoy stations.
The base is established as Rosneft prepares for drilling in the area. The company has earlier signalled that it intends to drill a well in its Khatanga license area in the course of 2017.
The Kara-Leto-2016 is Rosneft’s 12th major Arctic research expedition. It will last 60 days and bring the research team along the whole Russian Arctic coast, from the Barents Sea to the East Siberian Sea. During the voyage, the researchers will examine 13 buoy stations placed in the company’s license areas. They will study hydrometeorology, ocean geography and the drift of icebergs. In addition, they will survey glaciers and look at populations of polar bears, walrus and other mammals, the company informs.
The expedition follows the Kara-Zima-2015, reportedly the world’s biggest Arctic expedition in the past 20 years.
Rosneft has a total of 40 offshore licenses, of which six are in the Barents Sea, eight in the Pechora Sea, four in the Kara Sea, four in the Laptev Sea and four in the East Siberian Sea.
