In early April, Rosneft and ExxonMobil began aerial gravity-magnetic surveys over offshore blocks in the Yuzhno-Chukotsky licence area in the eastern Russian Arctic to establish the subsurface structure of the field. As part of a framework agreement…
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), part of the US Department of Commerce, announced yesterday the start of the 2014 hydrographic survey season. New data collected will increase coastal environmental intelligence around the country…
Sakhalin Energy Investment Company (Sakhalin Energy) and Sovcomflot Shelf (SCF Shelf) on behalf of Sovcomflot Group have signed a contract for construction and long-term operation of a multifunctional icebreaking supply vessel for the Sakhalin-2 offshore platforms…
Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed Russia's first shipment of Arctic offshore oil today. Gazprom Neft, the oil arm of Russia's top gas producer Gazprom, shipped the first 70,000 tonnes of oil by tanker from the Prirazlomnoye platform…
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement's Alaska region director Mark Fesmire participated in a panel discussion yesterday (April 17) in Washington, D.C. on applying lessons learned for drilling in the Arctic. During the discussion…
Norwegian shipbuilder Havyard has signed a contract for the construction of a hybrid diesel-electric platform supply vessel (PSV) for Icelandic offshore shipping company Fafnir Offshore. The vessel (pictured), based on the new Havyard 833 WE ICE design…
The Arctic Research and Design Center, a joint venture between Rosneft and ExxonMobil, has started its Kara-Winter 2014 Expedition to assess ice conditions in the Laptev, Kara, and East-Siberian Seas. The expedition, which has support…
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) announced on 2 April 2014 that it is investing up to US$600,000 for targeted oil spill response research in drift ice conditions. In a Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) released on the federal government's business opportunities website…
Shell has appointed Houston-based consulting firm, Endeavor Management to advise the supermajor in preparation for a possible revamp of Shell's Chukchi Sea drilling campaign. Endeavor said it will provide support and advice for a third…
Missed out on the top stories this week? Here are our top three most-viewed stories from the past week: OAA winners shine - More than 500 industry professionals came together at the sparkling 28th Offshore Achievement Awards ceremony in Aberdeen…
A rendering of Kirinskoye's subsea processor, a first for a Russian company. Sarah Parker Musarra examines the offshore developments that helped make 2013 a banner year for Russia's Gazprom. Located…
Schematic of the Arctic surface circulation including the Transpolar Driftal. The Siberian shelves are vast and shallow, seasonally ice-covered, and receive more than 80% of the Arctic freshwater input…
Global oil majors continue to lobby concessions for opertations on the Russian Arctic shelf; Eugene Gerden reports. Amid the fierce critics from the global environment organizations, the Russian government continues to create conditions…
Greenpeace has said five of its 14 activists have scaled the West Alpha semisubmersible drilling rig offshore Norway in protest against ExxonMobil’s plans to drill in the Russian Arctic. The protest has been staged on the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill…
Michael Studinger, a project scientist for NASA's Operation IceBridge, and Nathan Kurtz, a physical scientist, provide commentary during a virtual tour of the Operation IceBridge campaign in the Arctic.