Rosneft’s new Arctic field gets name after deceased EMERCOM chief Zinichev

A file photo of Russia’s minister of emergency situations, Yevgeny Zinichev. Zinichev reportedly died trying to save filmmaker Aleksandr Melnik who had fallen off a cliff near the Arctic city of Norilsk. (Russian Emergency Situations Ministry)

Rosneft’s new Arctic field gets name after deceased EMERCOM chief Zinichev

The field that will carry Yevgeny Zinichev’s name is one of the biggest discoveries of its kind in the Taymyr Peninsula. It holds 384 billion cubic meters of natural gas, Rosneft informs.

The resources were found in the Verkhnekubinsky license area, an asset managed by a joint venture of Rosneft and British oil and gas company BP.

The new field is located in the immediate vicinity of the Payakha area, the group of fields that constitutes a core part of Rosneft’s grand Vostok Oil project.

“The discovery is a confirmation of the major oil and gas potential of this territory,” the company says in a statement.

“To the memory of an outstanding state representative of Russia, the field will carry the name Hero of the Russian Federation Yevgeny Nikolaevich Zinichev,” Rosneft informs.

Accident circumstances remain unclear

The Minister of Emergency Situations (EMERCOM) died under dramatic circumstances on 7th of September this year. In connection with a major Arctic exercise, Zinichev took off with helicopter to the Putoransky nature reserve where he along with several colleagues, as well as film director Aleksandr Melnik, were to visit a major waterfall.

Many of the circumstances of the accident remain unclear.

According to the official version presented by Russian authorities, Zinichev slipped and fell when trying to rescue Melnik. Both men subsequently fell many meters down a cliff and died.

The funeral of the minister was attended by President Vladimir Putin, who post mortem declared Zinichev a Hero of Russia.

Like Putin, the deceased state official had his background from the FSB. In the period 2016-2018, he served as Deputy Director of the Security Service and in 2018 he was a permanent member of the national Security Council. In December 2020, he was also given the rang as Army General

Zinichev had worked as Minister of Emergency Situations since May 2018.

Related stories from around the North: 

CanadaCanadian NDP leader vows he’ll wrest money from feds to help fix Iqaluit water woes, CBC News

Finland: With cooperative spirit, Finland targets Arctic Russia, The Independent Barents Observer

China: China, Russia singled out in new U.S. Arctic defense strategy, Eye on the Arctic

Iceland: Nordics should aim for common approach to China’s Arctic involvement says report, Eye on the Arctic

Norway: Nordic fighter jet exercises underway inside Arctic Circle, The Independent Barents Observer

Russia: Russia drills rescue and emergency response in Arctic exercise, The Independent Barents Observer

United States:  Putin, Biden talk Northern Sea Route, The Independent Barents Observer

Atle Staalesen, The Independent Barents Observer

For more news from the Barents region visit The Independent Barents Observer.

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