The ship built in Finland in 1986 has long been one of Russia’s most advanced vessel for shelf exploration and drilling. Now, the ice-class ship gets additional upgrades which will make it capable of engaging in the northernmost parts of the Russian Arctic shelf.
According to Rosgeo, the ship owner, the «Bavenit» is currently undergoing modernization which will make it one of the best equipped geological exploration vessels in the world.
When the upgrades are completed in May this year, the ship will have an expanded capacity to drill exploration wells and conduct geotechnical studies of the sea bottom. It will be able to pick sampled from the sea bottom from unlimited depths, a press release from the company reads.
The lion’s share of the license areas
The «Bavenit» will be able to make hydrocarbon discoveries along the outermost parts of the Russian Arctic shelf.
«Bavenit» will this summer be engaged in Russian Arctic waters. Among possible clients are Novatek, Rosneft, Gazprom, Lukoil.
Russia’s two leading oil and gas companies Rosneft and Gazprom have over the last year significantly expanded their engagements in the Arctic. Rosneft now has a total of 55 offshore licenses while Gazprom has an estimated 41. The lion’s share of the license areas are in Arctic waters.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Arctic nickel, not oil, could soon power the world’s cars, Blog by Mia Bennett, Cryopolitics
Finland: U.S. pullout from Paris climate pact condemned by Finnish leaders, Yle News
Germany: Cheap oil from the Arctic? Fake news, says climate economist Kemfert, blog by Irene Quaile, Deutsche Welle
Norway: Dwindling interest in Norway’s Arctic oil raises many questions, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: An international collaboration behind Russia’s second Arctic LNG project, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Sweden’s climate minister : U.S. withdrawal from Paris sends a bad signal, Radio Sweden
United States: Big questions emerge over $43 billion gas-export deal between Alaska and China, Alaska
