Our Arctic Neighbors: Russians, Norwegians set standards

Barents 2020 project concludes with recommendations on health, safety and environment for petroleum activities in the Barents Sea

Sarah Hurst

For Petroleum News

Russian and Norwegian experts participating in the Barents 2020 project have presented their recommendations on common regulations for health, safety and the environment during petroleum activities in the Barents Sea at a conference in Moscow, risk management company Det Norske Veritas said in a release Dec. 17.

The recommendations cover how existing standards may be applied for oil and gas operations in the Barents Sea, suggest new standards for the design of stationary offshore units against ice loads, and for risk management of major hazards such as fires, explosions and blow-outs on offshore drilling, production and storage units.

Barents 2020 was initiated by Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store in 2007 and is a central element of the Norwegian government’s strategy on the High North. DNV has been in charge of coordinating the project on the Norwegian side, with Gazprom and its research affiliate VNIIGAZ steering the Russian side.

In addition to receiving funding from the Norwegian and Russian governments, a substantial part of the financial contributions to Barents 2020 came from industry.

“I am confident that its public-private nature has been one of the success factors of this project,” said Henrik O. Madsen, the CEO and president of DNV. “Both authorities and the industry realize the need to enforce and implement adequate rules and standards in order to safeguard petroleum activities in the Barents Sea in the years to come. And we all realize our obligation in making this happen.”

The project has brought together two sets of unique experiences, according to DNV: Russian in-depth knowledge and expertise with regard to operations in cold climates, and Norwegian expertise from offshore operations.