Interannual variability of the ice-free period duration in the southwestern Kara Sea

• Published in: Arctic and Antarctic Research
• Main Authors: O. Ya. Sochnev, K. A. Kornishin, Ya. О. Yefimov, Ye. U. Mironov, V. S. Porubayev, О. Я. Сочнев, К. А. Корнишин, Я. О. Ефимов, Е. У. Миронов, В. С. Порубаев
• Other Authors: The investigations were performed as a part of the innovative activity of Public joint-stock company “NK “Rosneft”, Исследования выполнены в рамках инновационной программы ПАО «НК “Роснефть”»
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Russian
• Published: Государственный научный центр Российской Федерации Арктический и антарктический научно-исследовательский институт 2019
• Subjects: межгодовая изменчивость; ice-free period; interannual variability; the Kara Sea; даты очищения и ледообразования; Карское море; Arctic; Kara Sea
• Online Access: https://www.aaresearch.science/jour/article/view/190; https://doi.org/10.30758/0555-2648-2019-65-3-239-254

In the coming years, exploration drilling in the geological structures in the Kara Sea is planned. It will be carried out during the ice-free period using floating drilling facilities of a different ice class. The aim of the work is analysis of the interannual variability of duration of the ice-free period in the area of the geological structures the results of which are necessary for planning operational activity of the drilling platforms and optimization of expenses for exploration drilling on the Arctic shelf. For an assessment of interannual variability of the ice-free period duration in the area of the geological structures there were used data on the dates of water area clearance from ice and beginning of ice formation in the southwestern part of the Kara Sea for the period of 30 years on the basis of the AARI weekly ice charts. An analysis of interannual variability of the ice-free period duration showed that a 20-year summer (1989–2008) and a 10-year (2009–2018) intervals could be identified. It is shown that in the last decade as a result of combination of favorable hydrometeorological conditions the ice-free period duration has increased by more than 1 month. An analysis of the main hydrometeorological factors determining the ice-free period duration indicated that it is possible to perform an assessment of duration of exploration drilling operations in the water area of the East-Prinovozemelsky license blocks with a period in advance of several months. Drilling with the use of ice-resistant drilling platform allows us to extend the operation period, as drilling could be started after disappearance of close ice and finished after the ice thickness growth up to 30 cm. Рассмотрена межгодовая изменчивость сроков очищения акватории ото льда, начала ледообразования и продолжительность безледного периода в районе геологических структур в юго-западной части Карского моря. Показано, что в последнее десятилетие в результате сочетания благоприятных гидрометеорологических условий продолжительность безледного ...