Oil industry establishes competency hub for undertakings in the frozen soil region
In the heart of the Arctic, Gazprom Neft has established a Centre for Arrangement and Exploitation of Fields in the Cryolithozone, a significant move towards sustainable development and environmental protection in the Far North. This centre is a pioneer in its field, focusing on preserving permafrost and ensuring efficient oil extraction practices.
The modern relief of Arctic landscapes was shaped around 11,000 years ago during the last ice age. The permafrost layers, which can reach hundreds of thousands of years old, have thawed and refrozen multiple times with climate changes. Maintaining the temperature of perennially frozen ground is a necessary condition for the reliability and longevity of structures built in northern territories.
Gazprom Neft's new centre will support all its enterprises operating in the Arctic zone, including scientific research and comprehensive project evaluation. The company has successfully applied engineering solutions for ground thermal stabilization and will leverage its scientific and research potential to overcome industry-wide challenges and develop new approaches to studying permafrost.
The centre's team comprises geologists, geocryologists, engineering designers, and methodologists. Their tasks include developing and implementing effective technologies for extraction in the Far North. The centre will also focus on systematising and developing best practices for studying and preserving the cryolithozone.
Thermal stabilization systems, heat-insulating structures for wells, and other solutions are used for maintaining the temperature of perennially frozen ground. These technologies will be at the forefront of the centre's work, ensuring the sustainable development of oil fields in the Arctic.
The centre's scope extends beyond the Arctic, with projects across Russia, including in Yakutia. The opening of the centre of competencies for permafrost is another step towards improving safe approaches and technologies for Arctic extraction.
For Gazprom Neft, the establishment of the centre is significant as it addresses one of the global tasks with significance for all of humanity. By prioritising sustainable development and paying special attention to preserving ecosystems and protecting the environment, Gazprom Neft is setting a new standard for the oil and gas industry in the Arctic.
- Gazprom Neft's new center, focused on the Arctic Zone, will foster scientific research and evaluate comprehensive projects, utilizing its scientific and research potential to address industry-wide challenges, such as preserving permafrost and developing new approaches in environmental-science.
- The center's team, composed of geologists, geocryologists, engineering designers, and methodologists, will work on developing and implementing effective technologies for oil extraction, with a special focus on the Far North and its unique cryolithozone.
- With a priority on sustainable development and environmental protection, Gazprom Neft's centre will employ thermal stabilization systems, heat-insulating structures for wells, and other technologies, ensuring energy-efficient operation in the oil-and-gas industry while minimizing effects on the environment.
- Beyond the Arctic, Gazprom Neft's innovative centre will extend its initiatives across Russia, bringing projects to regions like Yakutia, with the ultimate goal of improving safe approaches and implementing advanced technologies in the energy sector, setting a new standard for the industry.
