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Arctic the LNG carrier Ob River, which acquire comprehensive data about sensitive nature of the high-latitude shipped an LNG cargo from the Arctic sea ice, water properties, environment.

Snøhvit terminal in Hammerfest, and bathymetry, to improve Because weather changes quickly

Norway to the Tobata terminal in understanding of the Arctic Ocean across the region, forecasters

Japan. It discharged the cargo in basin and its role in Earth’s climate. and trackers are needed to keep early December. Russian nuclear The need of the nations around operations personnel informed. icebreakers cleared the icy route the Arctic Ocean to defne their FPSOs and other foaters operating ahead of the vessel. continental margins to claim in the Arctic will need new territory under the Law of the Sea capabilities for quick disconnect of

Expanding Knowledge Convention set off a third wave fow lines and risers to respond to

More needs to be done to defne of activity in 2004. This legally shifting sea ice and attendant loads.

the ocean’s underlying geologic binding process allows nations to In addition, community liaisons structures and this work is being extend their margins beyond the are needed to work with the carried out as part of the Law of standard 200nm EEZ. Much of indigenous populations, to preserve the Sea’s requirement for countries’ this data has been collected using local rights and lifestyles. At the extraterritorial claims beyond the submarines. same time, members of these groups exclusive economic zone (EEZ), A fourth wave is now underway, need to have the option of being which extends up to 200nm from as multi-year sea ice melts and involved with industry activity, so the coast. allows access to formerly ice-bound they can share in the rewards that Seismic data grids now cover a seas. In particular, recent seismic come from Arctic development. large part of the Arctic shelf, though acquisition in the Canadian Basin To attract companies and capital, the top of the world is hidden by has included both open water business conditions need to a polar ice cap. Defnition of the surveys and surveys done with offer more favorable treatment, sediments and country borders tandem vessels – an icebreaker plus Zolotukhin says. Additionally, under this pack ice await subsea survey vessel. students need to be taught in data collection and analysis. Data English to take advantage of the collection has been performed in Personnel Needed industry’s primary language.

multiple campaigns. The frst wave One of the reasons the Arctic is John Hogg, VP of exploration of activity was driven by Cold War being developed at a glacial pace & operations at MGM Energy in security concerns and done under is the shortage of arctic specialists. Calgary, and chairman of the Arctic military auspices from ice islands According to Prof Anatoly Technology Conference, said and from submarines on classifed Zolotukhin of the Gubkin Russian ‘Careers in the Arctic are mostly missions. State University of Oil & Gas, Russia associated with development of A second wave occurred through is currently producing up to ten resources, from labor to technical public access mapping under arctic specialists each year. But the to professional,’ and jobs are quite the Scientifc Ice Expedition need is much greater, with more varied.

(SCICEX) surveys of 1995-99. than 100 new professionals required

This program was a collaborative each year to work this region. Shell’s Activities effort between the US Navy and In addition, there is no signifcant As knowledge has advanced, the academic researchers from many infrastructure to support arctic industry has drilled in the higher universities, using nuclear-powered operations. Environmental response latitudes. According to Robert submarines for scientifc studies. specialists are needed to quickly Blaauw, Shell’s senior advisor

The goal of the program was to address spills because of the for Global Arctic Theme, about

OE | January 2013 oedigital.com 52 oe_ArcticTech.indd 52 03/01/2013 13:41