Rosneft and Innopraktika Announced a New Environmental Project in the White Sea
In the new field season, Rosneft together with the non-state development institute Innopraktika will begin implementing a large-scale environmental project in the White Sea. This was stated by representatives of the companies at the round table “Russian Arctic: integrated scientific and environmental research”, held with the support of the “Clean Future” platform.
The purpose of the three-year expeditionary work is to assess the impact of global climatic and local anthropogenic factors on the state of the ecosystems of the northern seas. Scientists will repeat the studies of 1922-1923 carried out in the White Sea by the outstanding oceanologist and zoologist Konstantin Deryugin. Comparison of the results of a century ago with current data will provide a comprehensive picture of the natural processes that have taken place in the Russian Arctic. According to Alexander Pashali, director of the Department of Scientific and Technical Development and Innovations of Rosneft, not only classical hydrobiological methods, but also the best modern methods, including molecular genetic ones, will be applied. The White Sea Biological Station of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov.
During the round table, representatives of Rosneft and Innopraktika also spoke about the environmental aspects of broadband seismic surveys in the northern seas. Seismic vessels are equipped with additional hydroacoustic equipment, which allows, among other things, to recognize places where marine animals gather and quickly correct research work if they are dangerously close to the vessel, explained Vladimir Lakeev, Director of Research and Development at Innopraktika.
Representatives of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences named after A.N. Severtsov, Marine Research Center of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, Institute for Strategic Development of the Arctic NArFU named after M.V. Lomonosov and the Institute of Oceanography of the Russian Academy of Sciences named after P.P. Shirshov. During the discussion, representatives of the expert community discussed the tasks and prospects of a comprehensive study of the Russian north, issues of sustainable development of the polar territories and the problem of preserving Arctic ecosystems.
Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Arkady Tishkov, Head of the Laboratory of Biogeography of the Institute of Geography of the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized that the efforts of scientific institutions alone are not enough to solve complex problems of comprehensive study of the Arctic region. An important role, according to the scientist, today is played by big business, which finances the implementation of scientific projects. He cited Rosneft as an example. Thanks to the Company, institutes of corporate science have been formed that organically complement the research of state scientific institutions and work with them in symbiosis. Tishkov also noted the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary approach that Rosneft uses to organize scientific work in high latitudes.
The Arctic Research Center of Rosneft Oil Company is implementing the largest program of studying the region since the Soviet times – more than 40 complex expeditions have been carried out over 10 years. Hydrometeorological, geological, and biological studies unprecedented in terms of geographic coverage were organized, including the deployment of a wide observational network of automatic weather stations and seismic stations, the northernmost stratigraphic drilling and laboratory analysis of the obtained core, environmental monitoring of animal bioindicators: polar bear, Atlantic walrus, reindeer and white seagulls.
