Scientific Operational Ice Support For Offshore Exploration In Arctic Seas: State And Strategy Of Development
Authors: Appel I.L. 
Published: October 2008

The present level of scientific knowledge and the availability of observational data permits the monitoring and prediction of sea ice distribution with a high degree of effectiveness.

Further development of scientific operational ice support for offshore exploration and production of oil and gas in ice infested waters can be realized using new sources of data, improved mathematical models, and automation of support procedures.

The immediate application of the most recent scientific and operational tools is required for the safe and economic exploration and extraction of mineral resources from icy seas.

Close cooperation and feedback between oil exploration companies, the scientific community, and support companies, as well as the creation of special task forces would be necessary to decide new tasks for the support of offshore exploration.

INTRODUCTION

During the last couple of decades increasing attention has been devoted to the search for oil and gas in the Arctic. The main Arctic oil fields have been found in Russia, Canada, and Alaska and a large amount of potential oil and gas resources are located offshore in the ice infested waters of the Canadian, Russian, and Alaskan Arctic, The exploration and production of oil and gas from such waters present new challenges to the oil industry to develop new technologies and procedures for the safe and economical development of such resources.

Severe natural conditions in icy seas explain the necessity for reliable hydrometeoroiogical support for offshore exploration and extraction of oil and gas in the Arctic.

Obtaining information on actual and prognostic changes of the ice cover state characteristics is very important.

To have up-to-date information about ice state is a necessary condition for fulfillment of various activities in icy seas, There are two general kinds of data:observation dataresults of calculations.

Both types of data should be used to supplement each other.

Different approaches are used in hydrometeorological support systems for offshore exploration and extraction of oil and gas in the Russian and Alaskan Arctic, A combination of the best of the two approaches would be the ideal way to develop and improve the system of support.

The scientific operational ice support system consists of two principal parts: datasets of historical and current information about natural phenomena and the methods to process, compute and forecast ice characteristics of interest.

The directions to improve scientific operational support are as follows:use latest technology for satellite remote sensing as well as other new sources of data,improve the mathematical description of physical processes and numerical methods,develop new technology and software to automate the support procedures.

CURRENT STATE OF SCIENTIFIC OPERATIONAL ICE SUPPORT

Observational data is necessary for the understanding of natural changes in icy seas. That understanding in turn helps to organize effective and safe offshore operations. The database is considered to be a basis for all kinds of support for activities in icy seas.