Half of the Russian Seismic Exploration Vessels Are Idle Due to Underfunding of Marine Research. Review
Russia has unique seismic research vessels, including ice-class ones, but in the current situation not all of them are used. Half of the domestic geological exploration fleet is idle, which is quite expensive for shipowners – the maintenance of each vessel costs an average of 200 million rubles a year. The safety margin in such conditions is small; it is necessary to load the vessels with work not only for self-sufficiency, but also to maintain the functionality of the equipment and maintain competencies. How to cope with these challenges was discussed by the participants of the round table in the Federation Council, dedicated to the issues of reproduction of the mineral resource base, including on the continental shelf.
Over the past 10 years, funding for geological exploration for hydrocarbon raw materials, including on the shelf, has been decreasing – both at the expense of the federal budget and from subsoil users. At the same time, when it comes to government funding, priority is given to objects with the potentially shortest exploration period – for the fastest licensing of areas. As a result, large-scale study of the shelf is slowing down, since the cycle from regional study to open deposits here can take 10-12 years.
“We see risks in curtailing the geological exploration program, first of all, in the fact that the funds that are used for the exploration stage are (the funds that “feed” – IF) our Russian scientific fleet. These are geological exploration vessels of Russian companies, which are precisely provide (geological – IF) study. Half of this fleet has been idle for two years. There is no funding,” said Boris Shumsky, general director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “VNIIOkeangeologia”.
The slide accompanying this quote illustrated the Rosgeologia vessels (for 3D seismic exploration – “Akademik Primakov” and “Akademik Nemchinov”; 2D – “Akademik Lazarev”, “Akademik Fersman”, “Zefir-1” and “Professor Ryabinkin”; for engineering surveys – “Bavenite” and “Kimberlite”, “Marine Arctic Geological Exploration Expedition” – MAGE (“Academician N. Trubyatchinsky” and “Geologist D. Nalivkin” for 2D seismic exploration) and “Sovcomflot” (“Vyacheslav Tikhonov” for 3D seismic exploration).
MAGE General Director Alexey Kazanin emphasized that some vessels remain idle for longer, citing as an example the vessel “Geologist D. Nalivkin”, which “is currently practically idle for the third year in a row.”
“Previously, our organizations were able to work in India, for example, we found work for ourselves. Now, unfortunately, firstly, because of sanctions, it’s not possible, and secondly, we are still subject to ice conditions, 100- 120 days a year. We cannot be at sea 365 days. Unfortunately, this is a stalemate. We, of course, find work in completely different industries,” added Kazanin.
The Ministry of Natural Resources told Interfax that in 2024, geological exploration work on hydrocarbons is being carried out at 6 offshore sites, the total amount of funding is 1.9 billion rubles.
“Most of the shelf territory, promising for development by subsoil users in the medium term, is located in the distributed subsoil fund. In the context of production reductions under the OPEC+ deal and the reorientation of gas supplies to the east, subsoil users are concentrating their work in areas with proven oil and gas potential, mainly on land” , the ministry added.
According to Shumsky’s presentation, in the Russian Federation there are 124 licenses for hydrocarbons in the territorial seas and 27 for areas in the transit zone.
All forcedly idle geological exploration vessels are in working condition, Shumsky emphasized. At the same time, he noted that the maintenance of each vessel costs on average 200 million rubles per year.
“Unlike a bulldozer or a tractor, you can’t preserve them, you can’t lubricate them with oil and you can’t put them in place. Because the requirements of the register imply that you need to maintain both the crew and the vessel, and undergo repairs every two years, and every five years – confirmation of the register.” , he explained.
One of the round table participants noted that Rosgeologiya is doing everything in its power to keep high-tech equipment in good working order and in working order, attracting loan funds for this purpose, as well as directing profits from other projects for these purposes.
“We are not even talking now about the fact that we need some funds for renovation. We understand that our situation is not that good,” he added.
According to the head of MAGE Kazanin, in such conditions the survival horizon for ship-owning companies is 5-7 years:
“It’s about like aviation. It simply won’t exist. Well, that is, if we stop this direction, if the equipment is already idle at two companies, then in 2-3 years we simply won’t be able to restore it. And there won’t be any specialists.”
The round table participants see the salvation of the industry in the recently developed but not yet approved federal project “Russian Continental Shelf”
“The Ministry of Natural Resources, together with Rosnedra, with the participation of our institute – the All-Russian Research Institute Oceangeologia, developed a federal project last year, which provides for activities aimed primarily at geological exploration work on the continental shelf, work to continue to justify the expansion of the outer boundaries of the continental shelf. We last year we successfully defended the report and received rights to more than 1 million 600 thousand square kilometers in the Arctic Ocean. But in the Eurasian basin and in the Chukchi Sea, the work has not yet been completed,” Shumsky explained.
According to him, the layout of the federal project has already passed the first stages of interdepartmental approval:
“We received comments, finalized them and sent them for approval to the ministries and federal executive authorities. We hope that this project will receive approval and the pace of development of the continental shelf will continue.”
The Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed to Interfax that the layout of the federal project on the continental shelf is now under consideration and approval by departments.
“The allocation of separate targeted funding for the project will ensure Russia’s geopolitical interests and sustainable presence in the Arctic and will maintain the country’s leading position as a maritime scientific power,” said a ministry representative.
The main task now, Kazanin notes, is to bring the start of the implementation of this project closer. We didn’t have time for this year:
“Financing of offshore seismic exploration this year is zero (we are talking about an order for MAGE” – IF). None of our ships will come out.”
According to him, delay threatens not only the loss of equipment and bankruptcy of shipowners, but also the loss of unique competencies.
“The most important thing is to maintain competencies. To be competent in the field of geological exploration at sea – this must be done first of all in seismic. We have two companies, a single fleet, 300-400 specialists throughout the country,” Kazarin emphasizes.
Among the potential “saviors” of the industry, in addition to the project for the development of the continental shelf, participants also note the program “Geology. Revival of a Legend.”
“We now see that our work is financed by the RUNR (program “Reproduction and Use of Natural Resources” – IF). It is very good that the program “Geology” was adopted. Revival of a Legend” – it compensated for the trend of declining funding for VIPR. Now, after all, the main task of VIPR is the efficiency of investing money. Efficiency is that the subsoil user acquires licensed areas, deposits are discovered. But the sea is not quick-turnover money, here in the horizon 10 -12 years can go from the stage of regional work to drilling and possible discovery of fields. Therefore, to ensure the geological interests of the sustainable development of the Russian Federation’s resources in the Arctic and, most importantly, to maintain the leading position of the Russian Federation as a marine scientific power, this (continued financing of marine geological exploration – IF) is very important. important,” Shumsky concluded.
The Ministry of Natural Resources told Interfax that the project “Geology. Revival of a Legend” made it possible to maintain funding for geological exploration in the Russian Federation at the same level from 2022 to the end of 2024.
“We are working with the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Finance to extend the federal project for the period 2025-2030,” the ministry emphasized.
