Major Barents Sea seismic surveys
Norway has announced plans to spend Kr 173m (£13.7m) on seismic surveys in its sector of the Barents Sea. Petroleum & Energy Minister Tord Lien says the government believes there are substantial remaining resources of gas and oil in the area and prospective mapping will be expected to increase activity and employment there while safeguarding national interests.
Meanwhile, Gazprom has reportedly completed a 3,200 square km 3D survey in the Russian sector of the Sea using a seismic research vessel equipped with a sonar system for monitoring approaching marine mammals, Vyacheslav Tikhonov. The Soviet gas organisation says the geophysical studies have already led to initial identification of gas deposit structures on the Arctic shelf. Norway and Russia originally concluded a boundary mapping agreement for the Sea in 2010 following lengthy negotiations.
By David Goodfellow
