Rosneft and ExxonMobil commence Arctic field expedition

The Kara-Summer 2014 research and development expedition to investigate ice and metocean conditions in the Russian Arctic has commenced in the White Sea.

The expedition has been organized by The Arctic Research and Design Center (the Rosneft and ExxonMobil joint venture), with the support of Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute experts.

Research expedition

Scientific research vessel Akademik Tryoshnikov departed the Arkhangelsk port to move along the route from the Kara Sea to the Chukchee Sea, along most of the Russian Arctic coast. The comprehensive research expedition will last for 57 days. It will involve experts of Roshydromet, All-Russian Research Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources of the World Ocean named after academician Igor Gramberg and Institute of Geography of the Russsian Academy of Sciences. During the expedition, scientists will explore the territory of several Rosneft license blocks in the Laptev Sea, the Kara Sea, the East Siberian Sea, and the Chukchee Sea.

Comprehensive investigations will involve meteorological, hydrological, glaciological, volcanological and geochemical works. The expedition group will launch three modern meteorological observing stations, and 16 buoy-based stations. Experts will study currents, water mass distributions, and explore variability of temperature.

Geochemical surveys

Sensors will be installed on icebergs to constantly monitor coordinates and drift. Scientists expect to explore glaciers at the archipelagoes of Novaya Zemlya and Severnaya Zemlya, as well as glaciers and volcanoes on the De Long Islands. The group will carry out advance geochemical surveys for detection of shows of oil and gas in the Laptev Sea and the Chukchee Sea.

Special attention will be paid to biological studies, including the monitoring of marine mammals and birds. Zoologist experts also expect to obtain data on distribution of polar bears in the area.

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

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