scholarly journals Assessment of Helicopter Emergency Response Capacity in the Barents Sea

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Jakobsen ◽  
Aleksandar-Saša Milaković ◽  
Sören Ehlers
Keyword(s):  
Simulation Model ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Prevailing Wind ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Response Capacity ◽  
Time Requirements ◽  
The Given

As the global demand for energy is increasing, oil and gas exploration is moving further north to more remote areas. Offshore activity in these areas is challenging. Arctic-specific environmental conditions, long distances from onshore facilities and general lack of infrastructure are some of the challenges faced. Therefore, new and more robust solutions — both on technological and operational side — are required before commencing operations safely in these areas. In this paper, a helicopter emergency response capacity — with respect to prevailing wind conditions — for operations in the Barents Sea is studied and a method for mapping the rescue capacity in the given area is presented. The goal is to develop a method capable of assessing the probability of a successful rescue at different locations within given time requirements and under prevailing wind conditions. This is accomplished using a simulation model capable to determine how the wind speed and direction affect the search and rescue helicopter operations in the Barents Sea. The simulation model uses historical wind data along a potential route as input for evaluating the flying time to different locations in an area under the given wind conditions. In addition to the wind conditions, the variation in recovery time, and mobilisation time is implemented into the simulation model. By running the simulation model multiple times, probability distributions of the number of personnel which can be recovered within the given time requirements are established. This information is then used to plot isocurves of equal rescue probability on top of a map of the Barents Sea. Based on the results, it is concluded that wind conditions have significant effect on rescue capacity of a helicopter, and thus thorough weather observations should be made before establishing a search and rescue system for a given area.

Norwegian Work on Search and Rescue in Barents Sea

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik Dyrkoren ◽  
Tor Einar Berg
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Response ◽  
Emerging Technologies ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
State Of Emergency ◽  
Future State ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Future Search ◽  
Near Future ◽  
Offshore Activities

Increased shipping and offshore activities in the Barents Sea need improved emergency response capability in Norway and Russia. In both countries there are several projects and initiatives that aim towards mitigating the consequences from small accidents and larger catastrophes, some coordinated across borders, others not. In this paper we aim towards giving an overview of the current and near future state of emergency response in the Barents Sea. First we describe the emergency response preparedness that is fully operational today. Then we give a brief description of operations and activities we see today and in the foreseen future, and discuss types of challenges and risks associated with them in this particular environment. Using this as a background, we look on Norway’s ambitions for future search and rescue preparedness in the Norwegian Arctic waters and the ways emerging technologies can improve emergency response operations. Finally we give some recommendations on what needs to be done by Norway, Russia and the industrial operators in order to achieve an improved level of emergency response preparedness.

Long-Range Rescue Capability for Operations in the Barents Sea

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sigurd R. Jacobsen ◽  
Ove T. Gudmestad
Keyword(s):  
Long Range ◽  
Emergency Response ◽  
Joint Venture ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Water Immersion ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Petroleum Exploration ◽  
The Barents Sea

The purpose of this paper is to examine the feasibility of providing long-range search and rescue for personnel in the Barents Sea. This may be due to a helicopter ditching or accident while en route to or from an offshore petroleum installation in the Barents Sea or a maritime accident. The paper will propose a combination of a SAR helicopter and multipurpose emergency response vessels. The paper will illustrate improved search and rescue capacity both for personnel involved in the petroleum industry and others i.e., fisheries, maritime transport and tourism. The basis for this paper is petroleum exploration activity in the far North Eastern area of the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea. The area is currently being evaluated in a process that most probably will lead to opening the area for oil and gas exploration. There is currently little or no infrastructure in the area beyond the coast. The paper considers a method to provide SAR coverage over a distance of 260 nautical miles with a minimum rescue capacity of 21 persons within two hours. Issues related to survival in cold water, immersion survival suits and performance requirements for search and rescue resources will be considered in order to provide an optimum combination and enhanced probability of survival if an incident should occur. Operational considerations involving departure criteria for helicopter transport should be developed in order to ensure that persons travelling on a helicopter to remote locations in the Barents Sea have a reasonable prospect of surviving a helicopter ditching and subsequently being rescued. Multipurpose Emergency Response Vessels, ERVs, equipped with dual Fast Recovery Daughter Craft, FRDC, capable of operating in an Arctic climate deployed at the remote location and en route together with an onshore based search and rescue, SAR, helicopter may provide a rescue capacity for 21 persons within 120 minutes. As vessels of the type proposed in this paper may be of a benefit to all stakeholders performing activities in the Barents Sea, joint venture financing by the authorities, petroleum, maritime, fishing and tourism industries could be considered.

scholarly journals Assessment of initial seismic impacts on the northern part of the Barents Sea shelf (Novaya Zemlya region) for the purpose of seismic microzoning in the areas of prospective hydrocarbon mining

2019 ◽  
pp. 38-47
Author(s):  
I. G. Mindel ◽  
B. A. Trifonov ◽  
M. D. Kaurkin ◽  
V. V. Nesynov
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Arctic Shelf ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Russian Arctic ◽  
Seismic Microzoning ◽  
Novaya Zemlya ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
National Task ◽  
Seismic Impacts

In recent years, in connection with the national task of developing the Arctic territories of Russia and the perspective increase in the hydrocarbon mining on the Arctic shelf, more attention is being paid to the study of seismicity in the Barents Sea shelf. The development of the Russian Arctic shelf with the prospect of increasing hydrocarbon mining is a strategically important issue. Research by B.A. Assinovskaya (1990, 1994) and Ya.V. Konechnaya (2015) allowed the authors to estimate the seismic effects for the northern part of the Barents Sea shelf (Novaya Zemlya region). The paper presents the assessment results of the initial seismic impacts that can be used to solve seismic microzoning problems in the areas of oil and gas infrastructure during the economic development of the Arctic territory.

Safety at Sea: Improving Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations in the Barents Sea

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tor Einar Berg ◽  
Even Ambros Holte ◽  
Grethe Osborg Ose ◽  
Hilde Færevik
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Search And Rescue ◽  
Protective Equipment ◽  
Safe Haven ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Life Saving ◽  
Future Search

In this paper, we select some of the crucial issues for future search and rescue (SAR) operations in the Barents Sea. The different nations that are involved and the resources necessary to build emergency preparedness due to the climatic conditions are thus important factors. This paper summarizes the state of the art within these areas while also indicating future development needs. The special requirements for life saving equipment on vessels due to the climate and requirement on personal protective equipment related to accidental immersion are also essential and thus presented in this paper. In addition, safe haven designs where the vessel itself is designed to provide shelter for personnel in distress is also a topic chosen to be addressed.

Definition of Efficiency and Safety Criteria for Icebreaker in Ice Management Operations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeny Karulin ◽  
Marina Karulina ◽  
Mikhail Kazantsev ◽  
Aleksander Proniashkin ◽  
Dmitry Zaikin
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Operational Performance ◽  
Marine Structures ◽  
Efficient Operation ◽  
Offshore Production ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Right

Ice management (IM) is often required to support offshore production of oil and gas in freezing seas. It helps to mitigate ice impact on marine structures and thus minimize risks of accidents as well as to increase weather windows for marine operations. One of the IM tactics is to use an icebreaker for producing a zone of managed ice for ensuring safe and efficient operation of marine facilities: platforms, offloading terminals, tankers, etc. The choice of the right icebreaker which is best capable to cope with the IM jobs is quite a challenging task. This paper suggests an approach to objectively compare operational efficiency of different icebreakers in performance of some typical IM tasks. This approach made it possible to work out universal criteria for assessing the efficiency of these ships. The criteria of icebreaker efficiency and operational performance have been derived from actual ice breaking and maneuvering data including safety aspects of required icebreaker maneuvers. The paper contains case studies with estimation of the said criteria for a number of IM icebreakers expected to be used for ice management in the south-eastern part of the Barents Sea.

Impacts of Cold Climate Environmental Conditions on a Riser System Design and Installation

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adekunle Peter Orimolade ◽  
Ove Tobias Gudmestad
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Barents Sea ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
Field Development ◽  
Climate Region ◽  
Probability Of Occurrence ◽  
The Barents Sea ◽  
Development Concept

Interests in exploration and production of oil and gas in cold climate areas has increased in recent times. This can be attributed to the continual depletion of reserves in mature fields, and recent discoveries of large quantities of oil and gas in the cold climate region, including the more recent discovery of the Alta Reservoir, in the Barents Sea. However, marine operations in this region are faced with challenges resulting from its arctic conditions. Knowledge of the physical environment is important in designing offshore structures, and in planning, and executing marine operations. Selection of a suitable field development concept may be influenced by the probability of occurrence of rare events, such as drifting icebergs. Furthermore, occurrence of mesoscale phenomenon such as polar low pressures may adversely affect planned marine operations. In addition, uncertainties in weather forecasting will reflect on the available weather window to perform installation and interventions works. This paper presents some of the challenges in designing and planning for marine operations in the cold climate region. A possible field development concept for the open water areas of the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea is discussed. The current research work considers the need for further assessment of the probability of occurrence of drifting icebergs as of importance when selecting field development concept. The Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) is proposed, and this should be designed with an internal turret system that can be disconnected and reconnected. Some of the challenges associated with riser systems design when considering a turret system with the capability to disconnect and reconnect are discussed. This paper also propose the use of ensemble forecasts as an alternative to the use of alpha factors to estimate operational weather window when planning for marine operations in the Barents Sea. The unpredictability nature of the environmental conditions, especially in the early winter is considered a challenge to marine operations.

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