As acknowledged by the representative of the general contractor, builder of the platform — "PO Sevmash"- the object is 94.2% ready and will be entirely completed straight in the sea.
It is important to note that this is the first offshore ice-resistant fixed platform in the Arctic. Gazprom company states that special attention was paid to environmental protection in the process of its construction. However, the oilmen do not mention risks of oil spills during the extraction and transportation of oil from the platform. Meanwhile, according to experts’ data and based on current practice, these risks are very high.
For the moment, in the world there is no successful experience of oil spills liquidation in the ice which volume exceeds a few tens of tons. Existing technologies of oil spill liquidation are practically useless in Arctic conditions – sorbents and bacteria do not work in cold water.
According to the commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Paul Tsukunfta, thousands of workers have come to fight oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, while in the Arctic, there are no facilities to accommodate the rescue forces.
Visual assessment is a key method in all operations related to spill liquidation. However, it is impossible to use it in the Arctic because of the darkness.
Strong winds and low temperatures prevent people and technical equipment from normal work, the presence of ice in the water reduces the effectiveness of booms.
The nearest emergency services capable of providing at least some help in liquidation at the sea area are located in Murmansk which is about 1000 kilometers far from Prirazlomnoye field.
Pechora sea, where the platform foundation is planned to be build, is an habitat of large number of birds and marine mammals. Navaga, Czech-Pechora herring, valuable whitefish and salmon trade is a traditional branch of economical activity of the local population. European population of white salmon is under special protection as red-listed endangered species.
The platform will be situated 50–100 km from Nenets national park and number of federal wildlife preserves, which water and costal zones will be polluted in case of any significant oil spill.
These facts are just a small part of all arguments in defense of vulnerable Arctic nature.
Conservation community strongly opposes to Arctic shelf development by oil and gas companies, as it puts at risk fragile ecosystem of the Arctic with its inhabitants and indigenous populations.
Furthermore, it supports the hydrocarbon "dependency" of Russia, while developed countries are looking for alternatives to oil.
It is much more useful and perspective to develop new renewable energy technologies, to increase energy efficiency in all sectors and improve the capacity for complete recycling of all resources within the country.
Investment for improving the efficiency of internal combustion engines, electric traction motors, together with the renewable energy development will demonstrate incomparably greater economic benefits than the Arctic shelf projects.