УДК 622.22 + 551.326

ICEBERG DESTRUCTION AS A METHOD OF ICEBERG HAZARD DECREASE DURING DEVELOPMENT OF HYDROCARBON DEPOSITS ON THE ARCTIC SHELF

Kornishin K.A. – manager of the Technical Regulation Department, Rosneft Oil Company, k_kornishin@rosneft.ru

Key words: drilling, shelf, safety, icebergs.

Drifting icebergs pose a threat to offshore oil and gas facilities in the area where they can be encountered. Iceberg towing with a rope or ice net is the main method of eliminating the iceberg threat to marine infrastructure facilities; this technology for various conditions is described in detail in publications [1, 2, 3]. However, towing operations require a dedicated vessel equipped with a towing system and trained personnel. Since many different vessels are involved in work on the shelf, each of which may encounter an iceberg drifting towards the drilling rig, an important practical issue is the possibility of eliminating the iceberg threat (destruction of the iceberg) by means of the wave action from the vessel moving near the iceberg. It is obvious that the success of such an impact depends on the initial stability of icebergs; it is impossible to cause a flip of the iceberg with high stability by this way. Expeditionary studies of the icebergs stability were carried out in order to study the applicability and limitations of this method; a full-scale experiment was carried out in natural conditions to destroy an iceberg by creating water vibrations by the hull of a ship.