Our main research and development focus in the Arctic is to develop technology that will enable safe and sustainable exploration, field development, and operation in Arctic areas.This is to ensure that operations in the Arctic areas will be in accordance with our principle of reducing the negative impact of our activities and products on the environment. We are focusing on technology developments to reduce the risk from a variety of actual and potential discharges to sea and emissions to air from various operations.
Several R&D projects have been established to support our environmental policy. In 2008, we actively participated in managing a large research project with six international oil companies as funding partners. The purpose of the project is to gain more knowledge about the spreading properties of oils under various ice scenarios, and to improve existing oil spill response technology, as well as to develop new technology adapted to oil spill operations under cold and icy conditions.
A range of studies have been carried out in the project, both at laboratory and at larger field level. Various dispersants and mechanical oil recovery devices have been tested for operations in cold and icy conditions. Studies to map different conditions (oil type, oil film thickness etc.) under which burning in situ may be an efficient response technique have also been conducted. In situ burning studies have been carried out in laboratories and calibrated with more realistic experiments in the field. In May 2008, a full-scale field experiment, including the release and clean-up of approximately five cubic metres of oil in ice, was successfully accomplished east of Hopen in the Barents Sea. The field trial included ten separate skimmer tests, two experiments involving towing two types of fire-proof booms in ice, two open water and ice burn experiments, and one remote sensing experiment (with an SAR-satellite). The experiment has provided valuable information for further development of oil spill technology for Arctic and ice-covered waters. The programme will continue until 2010.
As we move into new areas, deeper water and onshore, new and different challenges related to environmental monitoring have to be met. Solutions for monitoring the direct impact of StatoilHydro operations are needed, as well as variations due to other anthropogenic sources and natural variations.
For the last three years, environmental monitoring has been the centre of focus in our R&D portfolio. The objective of our R&D activities is to develop a flexible "toolbox" for environmental monitoring to meet future needs for improved understanding, documentation and management of environmental impact from emissions and discharges, utilising sensor technology, improved conventional methodology and existing infrastructure. Building on multi-disciplinary competence and extensive marine infrastructure, we are positioned to be an important partner for the scientific community in developing new methods and possibilities for mapping and monitoring.
Through the CORAMM (Coral Risk Assessment, Monitoring and Modelling) project initiated by StatoilHydro in 2006, field testing of sensors and technology for environmental monitoring and mapping of corals is ongoing. Add-on activities to the EU project HERMES (Hotspot Ecosystem Research on the Margins of European Seas) were initiated in 2008, and the purpose of these R&D activities is to gain better knowledge about the Barents Sea and Nordland VII.
A benthic observation system is planned off the coast of Vesterålen. The frames (landers) will be deployed for 18 months in the vicinity of coral reefs and near the shelf break. Physical parameters such as current, temperature, salinity and particles and biological parameters will be measured. The acoustic sensors will record marine sounds from mammals and fish, and the transport of biological resources such as eggs and larvae and the migration of mature fish will also be registered.
