WPG completes survey in Russian high Arctic

Projects and Operations - October 31, 2012

WGP Energy Services Ltd (WESL) has completed a 2D survey in the Russian High Arctic on behalf of State Sevmorgeo Company (SMG).

The work completed in the East Siberian and Laptev Seas was part of a programme of works for the Russian State in the delineation of the country’s continental shelf.

In order to work in Arctic waters, WESL converted and outfitted the Russian icebreaker Dikson in the port of Kirkenes, northern Norway, which involved the installation of a combination of a Portable Modular Source System (PMSS), a seismic streamer and associated deck handling equipment.

During the survey programme, Dikson was also escorted by the icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn, to act as a lead vessel through pack ice and provide replenishments for Dikson.

The vessel was able to operate in the Arctic waters during a 45 day period between mid-August and the end of September, during which some 5,300 line kilometres of towed streamer data was acquired, plus acquisition of OBS (Ocean Bottom Seismometers) data.

The vessel and crew were able to push the boundaries of Arctic exploration; working in sea water temperatures down to -2°C, and working in latitudes up to 83° North.

Safety of the crew and equipment was therefore of paramount importance, protection against such inherent risks being mitigated by a proactive and pragmatic safety programme.

Marcus Smith, WGP Exploration Ltd’s Operations Manager, said: "To achieve over 5,000 survey kilometres without incident or damage to in-water equipment endorses WGP’s expertise of working in challenging and frontier locations, providing bespoke marine geophysical services and solutions.

"Thanks to the outstanding ice navigation skills of the crew on the Dikson, the high level cooperation with SMG, and the experienced professionalism of our offshore personnel, WGP has delivered an excellent final product to our client of which we are all extremely proud”.

Mikhail Skatov, General Director of SMG commented; “We have fulfilled an extremely complicated State programme using a set of various geological and geophysical methods and techniques in difficult ice conditions”.