Rosneft Oil Co. has implemented a comprehensive long-term research program in the Arctic. The expedition started from Murmansk and will include geological, weather, and environmental surveys.
The drilling vessel Bavenit is heading to the Laptev Sea to drill shallow stratigraphic wells in the Eastern Arctic and take cores. Bavenit has equipment to drill to 500 m. The cores will be a direct source of geological information to determine the age (stratification), composition, and formation conditions of sedimentary rocks in the studied shelf region. The vessel also has unique fiber optic geophysical equipment to tie core to the seismic section.
As a result of the expedition, scientists expect to build a reliable geological model of the region and estimate its oil and gas potential.