Rosneft looks closer at northernmost license areas

A research vessel commissioned by Rosneft is starting environmental mapping of three licenses areas in the Barents Sea. Among them is the Albanovsky, the second northernmost in the company’s license portfolio.

The 44,736 square kilometer license area is believed to hold up to 144.2 million tons of oil, 43.3 million of which is extractable, and 1,254.4 billion cubic meters of gas.

Only the Severo-Karsky license in the Kara Sea is located further north.

The research mission includes studies also of the nearby Varneksky and Zapadno-Prinovozemelsky areas, Rosneft informs.

The mapping is conducted in cooperation with the Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, and includes studies of ocean geography, meteorology and hydrology. Also seabed samples will be taken along with water tests and observation of local marine mammals and birds, the company informs.

Rosneft has in the course of summer conducted studies at a number of its Arctic license areas. In July, exploration was made at the Vostochno-Sibirsky area, a license located off the coast of the New Siberian Islands, the company says. At the same time, air studies of the Khatanga license area was conducted. 

Those latter studies will allow the company to improve its understanding of the geological structure of the license area and determine areas for upcoming geological exploration, Rosneft informs.

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The company has earlier said that it intends to drill an exploration well in the Khatanga area in 2017.

Also Gazprom is reportedly preparing for more mapping in the Arctic waters. The company has announced a 7.5 billion rubles tender on seismic mapping of two of its Arctic license areas, the Zapadno-Sharapovsky in the Kara Sea and Fersmanovsky area in the Barents Sea, oilru.com reports with reference to Prime.ru