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Arctic

Drilling in the Barents Sea comes with

Frosty wintry conditions—life aboard the semi- the last three years, compared to two wells off Greenland and one off Russia, prospects according the Maxim Nachaev, director,

Canada, Greenland, Norway and Russia. consulting/Russia, IHS Cera.

Plans for arctic exploration

The largest acreage offered has been off Most recently, OMV opened a new oil and development continue

Russia, at 1.5 million sq km, or 77% of play, with its Wisting Central discovery apace—but will there be the total, most of which is in the hands of in the Hoop area in the Barents Sea.

Rosneft, says Geir Utskot, arctic manager, Activity levels are expected to remain resources available?

Schlumberger. high, following the award of licenses in

Elaine Maslin reports.

“To put this into context, the total size the 22nd round, and plans to open the of the US Gulf of Mexico is 445,000sq km, Barents southeast area in the next licens- he size of the arctic offshore chal- and of this area, only about 155,500sq km ing round. lenge is signifcant, both in scale has been licensed,” he told the recent SPE More than 40 wells are likely to be

T and complexity, with relatively Arctic & Extreme conference in Moscow. drilled in the arctic by 2020, depending little activity carried out to date. “The entire Gulf of Mexico could ft inside on the economic situation, said Nachaev,

Technology, resources, environmental the Kara Sea and is roughly equivalent to who also spoke at the SPE Moscow event. protection and project economics, not to 5% of the arctic region.” Among those planning to drill in the mention the harsh conditions, are just region in 2014 is Statoil, which plans

Exploration some of the challenges faced by operating to drill two operated wells in the same in arctic regions. Drilling has been undertaken in the area as Wisting Central—the Atlantis

In some cases this has led to projects Barents, Baffn Bay, and Chukchi Seas. and Apollo prospects, along with further delays and cost overruns, however, activ- Seismic acquisition has been carried out appraisal drilling around the Johan ity continues. in the Kara, Barents, Laptev and Chukchi Castberg felds (Skrugard/Havis).

To date, acreage has been offered Seas. To date, Shell has yet to confrm if it under license off the US state of Alaska, Most of the drilling has been offshore will go ahead with a drilling program

Norway, with more than 20 wells in in the Chukchi Sea, offshore Alaska,

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