Residents of Sakhalin Region approve offshore seismic surveys in Sea of Okhotsk
RELEASE
Gazprom Geologorazvedka
News from projects and regions
Public hearings dedicated to 3D seismic surveys within the Kirinsky prospect (offshore the Sea of Okhotsk), including environmental impact assessment studies, took place today in the Nogliki settlement (Sakhalin Region). The project customer is Gazprom Geologorazvedka. The hearings resulted in public approval of the project implementation.
Vladimir Gorelikov, representative of Gazprom Geologorazvedka telling about project
The objective of exploration activities in the Kirinsky prospect is to specify its geological structure and volume of reserves.
The participants of the hearings learned about the offshore seismic technology, equipment and vessels to be used in the course of the project. They also heard a detailed description of measures aimed at mitigating the environmental impact in the region. This is a ‘soft start’ technology providing for a gradual increase in the acoustic signal power, allowing mammals and fish to migrate from the area of operations. Another measure is a ‘zero discharge’ technology, which envisages exporting all operational waste and effluents onshore for their further disposal. Continuous environmental monitoring will be carried out at all stages of activities.
Background
Gazprom Geologorazvedka is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Gazprom engaged in the entire set of exploration activities for prospecting new hydrocarbon fields and deposits both onshore and offshore as well as in follow-up exploration of reserves at existing fields and their pre-development. The company’s key objective is replenishing the mineral resource base of Gazprom Group.
Gazprom Geologorazvedka is present in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Irkutsk Region, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), central parts of Russia as well as the continental shelf of the Kara and Barents Seas and the Sea of Okhotsk.
At present, Gazprom Geologorazvedka operates in three license blocks offshore the Sakhalin Island: the Kirinsky prospect, including the Yuzhno-Kirinskoye field as well as the Vostochno-Odoptinsky and Ayashsky blocks.
In 2014 Gazprom Geologorazvedka completed 1,200 square kilometers of 3D seismic surveys in the Sea of Okhotsk.
The company has introduced an environmental management system in compliance with ISO 14001:2004. Industrial environmental control and environmental protection measures are carried out at all project sites.
Within the frames of Gazprom’s general social responsibility strategy the company takes part in the socio-economic development of its operating areas.