The United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) is advancing its efforts to develop a groundbreaking ice-resistant platform for gas production at the Kamennomysskoye-Sea field. The project, which marks a significant milestone in offshore drilling technology, is poised to operate in the extreme conditions of the Gulf of Ob, where temperatures can plummet to -60 °C and ice conditions are among the harshest in the world.
The Kamennomysskoye-more platform, measuring 135 meters in length and 69 meters in width, is being constructed with the expertise of various USC enterprises and leading domestic design bureaus. The platform will be assembled in Kaliningrad and then towed to the Kara Sea, where it will be the first offshore project to extract gas from such northern latitudes.
With a projected capacity to produce 15 billion cubic meters of gas annually, the Kamennomysskoye-More field is estimated to hold around 555 billion cubic meters of gas reserves. This unique volume positions the field as a critical component in Russia's energy strategy, especially as land-based deposits diminish.
The innovative design includes a wedge-shaped base for ice protection and a 'zero discharge' system to mitigate environmental impacts. The project is expected to create numerous jobs and stimulate the economy through a chain of orders across various industrial sectors, from shipbuilding to machine manufacturing.
Experts believe that the experience gained from this project will pave the way for future developments in challenging offshore environments, emphasizing the importance of such technologies as the demand for energy resources continues to grow.
