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2006 THE THE BARENTS BARENTS SEA SEA ENVIRONMENT ENVIRONMENT AND AND PETROLEUM PETROLEUM ACTIVITY ACTIVITY BW_engelsk.qxd 29-06-06 09:47 Side 2 BARENTSwatch Barentswatch 2006 is published by Bioforsk Soil and Environment, CONTENTS Svanhovd with support from the Norwegian Ministry of Environment, NOFO, The Norwegian Barents Secretariat, Eni Norway and Statoil. New opportunities and new challenges in the north, Ingvild Wartiainen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 Norwegian, English and Russian Barents Sea, Ingvild Wartiainen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 editions are published. Joint database for seabird colonies in the Barents Sea, Hallvard Strøm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Director: Hans Geir Eiken Coral reefs and other vulnerable species at the bottom of the Barents Sea, Pål B. Mortensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Marine bioprospecting in the north, Espen Hansen . . . . . . . .12 Editors: Bjørn Frantzen and Ingvild Wartiainen Cover photo: Bjørn Frantzen The Northern Coalition: The first experience of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) effort to consolidate in the Barents region, Sergey Zhavoronkin . . . . .13 Barents Sea management plan, Ingvild Wartiainen . . . . . . . .14 Norway - a policy for the north, Ole Anders Lindseth . . . . . .16 Graphic design: Tiina Monsen, Tvers Kommunikasjon Print: Birkeland trykkeri AS Major funding for Russo-Norwegian environmental research in the Barents Sea, Bjørn Kristoffersen . . . . . . . . . . .18 Protecting the treasures in a sea of change, Dag Nagoda .20 Abandoned and scuttled ships in the Kola Bay area: The source of ecological and navigation danger, Vladimir Bakharev . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Editorial Work completed April 2006. Petroleum transport from the Russian sector of the Barents region, Bjørn Frantzen and Alexei Bambulyak . . . . . . . .24 Translators: From Norwegian to English: Cbg. Consult AB, Sundbyberg, Sweden From Norwegian to Russian: Storvik & Co, Svetlana Kurti Russo-Norwegian collaboration to combat oil spill, Ole Kristian Bjerkemo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Norwegian operating companies collaborate to combat oil spill, Tom Gederø . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 World Wildlife Fund’s “Clean Coast” program, Mikhail Kalentchenko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Vardø traffic control centre, Terje Alling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 ISSN 0806 - 5411 Oil and Reindeer herdsmen in the Nenets Autonomous Region (NAO), Vladislav Pesko . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Exciting developments in the north, Alf E. Jakobsen . . . . . . .36 Emergencies versus imagination, Harald Larsen and Bernt Aksel Jensen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 Bearded seal (Erignathus barbathus) ©Bjørn Frantzen 3 Ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) ©Bjørn Franzen 4 NEW OPPORTUNITIES and new challenges in the north The geopolitical focus is today strongly directed towards the northern areas, and especially towards the Barents Sea. The Barents Sea is classified as one of the last clean, rich oceans. Favourable ocean currents and shallow seas have made the sea area one of the most productive, both considering fish, seabirds and sea mammals. Much is known today about the ecosystem in the Barents Sea, but on important subjects like biological diversity, the bottom fauna, ecological interactions and mechanisms, the knowledge is still insufficient. The Ocean may also conceal biological produced substances that can become immensely important for illness treatment in the future. Today, the search for such substances in cool climate and marine environments are only at its beginning. However, this is not what has lead to the great interest for the northern territories and the Arctic. The centre of attention is the prospect of a new oil and gas fairytale. The interest for the Arctic and the northern territories increased enormously when reported that up to 25 % of the worlds oil and gas reserves could be localised in the Arctic. A large proportion of these oil and gas reserves are expected to be found on the Russian territory, which has lead to an aggressive campaigning from Norwegian and International oil companies to participate in the development of Russian oil and gas fields. The world’s need for energy is increasing, and so is the need for stable energy deliveries. Among the business community and politicians, the willingness for oil and gas development is great, while environmental organisations and scientists request moderation and caution. At present, the oil protection is not good enough, and there is still a long way to go before a reasonable oil protection is achieved at both sides of the border. The cooperation on oil spill protection between Russia and Norway was initiated in 1989, and has progressed steadily. However, it is a question whether the progress of the cooperation on oil spill protection, and a common environmental understanding is moving forward fast enough. As part of the increased focus on the north, the Norwegian government presented a parliament paper and a management plan for the Barents Sea and parts of the Norwegian Sea in March 2006. This management plan is evidence based and seeks to make a balance between business interests and the environment in such a way that the Barents Sea ecosystem is protected. In many cases, there will be a great challenge to combine environmental interests with the need for business development. Small communities with limited business prospects often lack workplaces. In these communities the discussion can easily turn into a discussion about to be or not to be for a whole community. We have today good knowledge about what damage industry can do to health, nature and primary industry. It is important to use this knowledge as a base when new industry is developed, and demand the developers to take care of the environment in a satisfactory manner. In this issue of Barentswatch, we sought to show some of the activities in the Barents Sea, other than fishery. The focus has at large been on the prospects of increased petroleum activities, and we invited scientists, the central government, local politicians, environmental organisations and business to contribute. The papers in this magazine illustrate parts of the large, complex picture. We hope that Barentswatch will spread knowledge and understanding for the environment and business in the Barents Sea, and reach a broad group of readers within the Barents Region. Good Reading! 5 Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) on Svalbard. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd The Barents Sea is one of the world’s most productive marine ecosystems, with extensive harvestable resources and some of the densest concentrations of seabirds. Its ecosystem is vulnerable since its biological diversity is lower than in seas further south and the food chains are short. Ocean currents and nutrients Although the Barents Sea comprises only 4 thousandths of the world’s oceans, it is a sea area with extensive biological production and significant harvestable marine resources. The seas off northern Norway provide the basis for one of the most productive fisheries in the world. This extensive biological production is the result to a significant extent of a fortunate combination of favourable ocean currents and shallow seas – the average depth of the Barents Sea is 230 metres. Warm waters rich in nutrients stream northwards from the Atlantic Ocean, meaning that much of the area is ice-free. When the warm waters from the Atlantic encounter the cold, nutrient-poor waters of the Arctic Ocean, in winter the water masses are completely stirred up down to 200-300m, and nutrient salts from the lower depths of the ocean are brought up to the surface layers. The greatest availability of nutrients, and therefore especially high productivity, is in the polar frontal zone where the warm and cold water meet and along the ice edge. Nutrients, which accumulate when the water is stirred up in winter, provide the basis for spring inflorescence of algae and phytoplankton. Fish The most important commercial species in the Barents Sea – capelin (Mallotus villosus), cod (Gadus morhua) and herring 6 BARENTS SEA By Ingvild Wartiainen Bioforsk Svanhovd (Clupea harengus) – are also key organisms in the ecosystem to a major extent. Cod is a predatory fish and a cannibal, with capelin one of its main prey. Capelin spends its entire life cycle in the Barents Sea, functioning as a connecting link between animal plankton and a number of predators besides cod. Its main feeding grounds are further north, but spawning and predation take place in the south so that production is in the process of moving from north to south. Herring competes with capelin for plankton in the south of the Barents Sea. Periods when there is an increased inflow of warm water from the Atlantic favour herring stocks, while during colder periods it is capelin that is favoured. Cod, capelin and herring all spawn along the coast of Norway. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), another important plankton eater, is a true coldwater species which spawns, matures and feeds in water down to and below 0°C. It spawns mainly in the southeastern part of the Barents Sea as well as on the east side of Svalbard. Arctic cod, herring and capelin are at the bottom of the food chain and are important sources of nourishment for seabirds, marine mammals and larger fish. Fish also provide food for some 1.3 million seals and 20 million seabirds in the Barents Sea. Seabirds The seabird colonies in the Barents Sea are among the largest in the world on account of its large production of plankton and fish. In summer the birds use food from the sea to produce eggs and young birds, while simultaneously carrying important nourishment from the sea to the land. Some nesting birds leave the Barents Sea in the winter months, while other species come here to overwinter. 40 species of seabirds are registered in the Barents Sea area, but only a few of these are important in the sense that they are found in large numbers and are responsible for the greatest food consumption. Some examples of important species are Brünnich’s guillemot (Uria lomvia), common guillemot (Uria aalge), puffin (Fratercula arctica) and black guillemot (Cepphus grylle). In the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea the numbers of all these species except the Brünnich’s guillemot are decreasing and they are included on the Norwegian Red List of threatened species. Today guillemot numbers in some areas are 95% lower than in the mid-1960s, while puffin numbers on the Røst Islands are only 27% of 1979 levels. There are also many indications that Norwegian numbers of black guillemot have decreased significantly in recent years. The reasons for this are uncertain, but a lack of capelin and herring as well as entanglement in fishing nets and predation are important factors. The Barents Sea is also an overwintering site for rare high Arctic seabirds such as the king eider (Somateria spectabilis) and Steller’s eider (Polysticta stelleri). A significant proportion of the total numbers of king eider and Steller’s eider overwinter on the coast of Norway, especially in the two most northern counties. Both species are defined as Norwegian responsibility species in the national Red List. which live mainly on animal plankton, and little auks (Alle alle), which mainly eat king crabs. The minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is one of the commonest baleen whales seen in the Barents Sea, the most rare being the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) and blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus). Tooth whales mainly eat fish and squid. Examples of toothed whales regularly found in the Barents Sea are the killer whale (Orcinus orca), Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Whales are completely reliant on the sea, where they also feed and nurse their young. Seals on the other hand go ashore or onto the ice to warm themselves in the sun and to feed and nurse their young. The commonest types of seal in the Barents Sea are the ring seal (Phoca hispida), harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) and bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus). Walrus stocks (Odobenus rosmarus) on Svalbard were protected in 1952, by which time they had almost become exterminated by hunting. The walrus is found in relatively shallow sea areas where it lives principally on mussels and snails. In winter and spring the sea ice extends far into the Barents Sea, and it is along the edge of the drift ice where there are most seals that the polar bear finds its food. The polar bear likes to be in ice-filled waters preferably far from land, and could therefore almost be regarded as a sea mammal. RED LIST A Red List is a list of plant and animal species that are threatened by extermination or critically endangered, or are rare and vulnerable to human activity for that reason. Species are assigned to categories which represent different level of threat: E=Critically Endangered, V=Vulnerable, R=Rare, DC=Declining, care demanded, DM=Declining, monitor species, A=responsibility species. In Norway the national Red List is involved in putting a focus on threatened species at national, regional and local authority level as well as among disinterested organisations. The official Norwegian Red List is issued by the Directorate for Nature Management (DN). Bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus) one of the seal species commonly seen in the Barents Sea. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd Black guillemot (Cepphus grylle) ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd Sea mammals Seals, whales and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are the three large groups of sea mammals living in the Barents Sea area, and together with the seabirds they form the top link in the food chain. The exceptions here are some of the baleen whales, 7 Blood samples taken of Thickbilled murre (Uria lomvia) at Sakhanina Bay, Novaja Semlja. ©Hallvard Strøm, The Norwegian Polar Institute JOINT DATABASE for seabird colonies in the Barents Sea By Hallvard Strøm, Norwegian Polar Institute Email: [email protected] All the known seabird colonies in the Barents Sea and White Sea have now been collected into a joint Norwegian-Russian database. The database was produced by seven Russian institutions and the Norwegian Polar Institute and covers all known seabird colonies in the Barents Sea region. With industrial activity in the Barents Sea increasing, the database may become an important tool for management and research in both countries. 8 The database is the result of more than 15 years’ collaboration between Norwegian and Russian academic institutions. Work started on the database in 1993 as part of Norwegian-Russian environmental collaboration under which the Norwegian Polar Institute in Tromsø had main responsibility for developing the database, with the aid of seven Russian institutions (see textbox). An internet version of the database has been produced to facilitate access for Russian and Norwegian management bodies. Ocean rich in seabirds The Barents Sea is one of the most productive sea areas in the world and few others can claim such a rich variety of nesting seabirds. At least 20 million seabirds, divided between 40 different species and 1600 nesting colonies, spend summer in the Barents Sea. A number of seabird colonies are joint Norwegian-Russian colonies. The most important threats to seabirds in the Barents Sea in the future will be from increased oil and gas activities, fishing, environmental pollutants and climate change. 1600 colonies The database contains data from seabird colonies on Svalbard, Frans Josef Land, Novaja Zemlja, Nenets Autonomous Okrug, White Sea and Murman coast. A total of 1547 colonies are recorded in the database, including 25 colony nesting seabird species. More than five million nesting birds have been recorded the colonies. The most populous species are brünnich’s guillemot (Uria lomvia) with over 1.7 million nesting pairs, and kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) with over 900,000 nesting individuals. However the quality of the data varies from species to species. For example, there are probably greater numbers of little auks (Alle alle) than is suggested by the database, since this species is difficult to survey and many of its colonies are in areas that are rarely visited. Important management and research tool A seabird colony database is an important tool for management and research. Electronic data is generally easily accessible, and in the case of an oil spill for example it would quickly be possible to identify potential areas with high concentrations of vulnerable species of nesting birds. The seabird colony database will also be useful in a variety of other connections, since researchers and managing bodies will be able to utilise the data to compare areas with regard to their biological diversity and bird density so as to identify the areas that are important for rare and vulnerable species, estimate total numbers of individual species or analyse population trends and historical data. Counting seabirds in the Sakhanina Bay at Novaja Semlja. ©Hallvard Strøm, The Norwegian Polar Institute The map shows seabird colonies, with size estimaes, included in the seabird database. The birds illustrated in the map is: Puffin (Fratercula arctica) at the Norwegian mainland, common murre (Uria aalge) at the Bear Island, little auk (Alle alle) on Svalbard, ivory gull (Pagophila eburnea) on Franz Josef Land, thickbilled murre (Uria lomvia) at Novaja Semlja, and spectacled eider (Somateria spectabilis). ©Hallvard Strøm, The Norwegian Polar Institute In order to make the seabird colony database accessible to Norwegian and Russian managing bodies, a simplified password controlled internet version has recently been introduced. This is mapbased and can be searched, and will form an important tool in contexts that require up to date knowledge of incidence of seabirds. A trial version is currently being tested in Norway and Russia. defective, fragmentary and out of date. Attempts have been made by various projects to complete the most important gaps • Vulnerability analysis of oil/seabirds in the south eastern Barents Sea (Russian sector) • Harmonisation of existing monitoring on the Norwegian and Russian sides. Russo-Norwegian seabird collaboration Russo-Norwegian seabird collaboration originally started in 1989 as a specialist group under the Russo-Norwegian environmental protection commission. In 1997 the group was formally dissolved and came under the auspices of the Biodiversity Group. Today the collaboration is maintained as a network of researchers and management bodies in both countries. Recent projects have focused on: Collaborating institutions: • Murmansk Marine Biological Institute (MMBI) – Juri V. Krasnov • Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), St. Petersburg – Maria V. Gavrilo • Institute of Geography, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow – Grigori M. Tertitski • Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve (KSNR) – Alexander S. Koryakin • Solovetski State Nature Reserve (SSNR) – Alexander E. Cherenkov • All-Russia Research Institute of Nature Conservation and Reserves (VNII Priroda), Moscow - Vladimir Yu. Semashko • Norwegian Polar Institute, Tromsø – Hallvard Strøm • Joint databases (eg the seabird colony database and a literature database) • Surveys of the incidence and extent of seabirds in the eastern Barents Sea. Information about seabirds in the Russian sector of the Barents Sea is 9 BW_engelsk.qxd 29-06-06 09:47 Side 10 CORAL REEFS AND OTHER VULNERABLE SPECIES at the bottom of the Barents Sea Pål B. Mortensen, Institute for Marine Research Email: [email protected] Deep-water coral reefs, coral forests and sponges are an important natural resource, with wide biological diversity and a high density of fish. Environmental conditions favour the occurrence of coral reefs further north than is currently documented. The Barents Sea is the scene of considerable fishing activity and it has been shown that fishing using bottom trawls may damage these unique and vulnerable species. Since corals grow extremely slowly, it will require a very long time for nature to repair any extensive damage. Many benthic animal species not only create a habitat for other organisms but are important during particular life stages of organisms which otherwise live freely in 10 the water. Nevertheless until now little effort has been made to understand the significance of benthic habitats for the ecosystem. Benthic animals’ environment in the Barents Sea The salty and relatively warm (4–6°C) waters of the Atlantic Ocean are the main source of heat for the Barents Sea. The bottom fauna of the Barents Sea have a rich variety of species whose combination varies parallel with the temperature near the seabed. Benthic animals in the polar frontal zone inhabit a very changeable environment and need to be adapted for both Arctic-boreal and Arctic conditions. The distribution of benthic animals in these sea areas has received little study in relation to the areas’ major importance for Sponges in trawl catches (from a bottom trawl) from Tromsøflaket. The round sponge, Geodia dominated in the catch. ©Institute of Marine Research fishing. In some areas the influence of the Gulf Stream produces favourable conditions for many of the same species as those found along the northern parts of the Norwegian coast. Many species are represented on the seabed and it has a generally wide diversity compared with the deep-water masses. Research in Russia has discovered around 2700 species of benthic animals in the Barents Sea, comprising approximately 80% of the total fauna in the area. Many species in the north grow slowly, live for a long time, have a low rate of reproduction and play a key part in transmission of energy. Local knowledge among fishermen suggests that in some places sponges and corals dominate the seabed. BW_engelsk.qxd 29-06-06 14:32 Side 11 Corals Several large coral species provide habitats for a wide variety of other species. Lophelia pertusa is the only species in the North East Atlantic that forms coral reefs, while horn corals (eg Paragorgia arborea, Paramuricea placomus and Primnoa resedaeformis) may form so-called coral forests, with colonies up to three metres high. New coral reefs are continually being described along the coast of Norway where they are found mainly at depths of between 200 and 600m. In some places they may be up to approximately 35m high and around one kilometre long. Areas where the reefs are dense are called reef complexes. Examples of these are the Sula reef (14 km long) and Røst reef (35 km long). The Røst reef is up to 2.8 km wide. In 2002 it was documented by the Institute for Marine Research west of Røst, at the far south of the area covered by the Barents Sea management plan. This is the largest Lophelia reef complex ever recorded. Coral reefs have been documented in the Barents Sea as far north as the Tromsøflaket fishing bank and Lopphavet Sea, but according to fishermen reefs can be found both to the north and east of this. As early as the end of the 1930s fishermen told the marine biologist Carl Don that Lophelia were found off Ingøy, Mehamn, Berlevåg and Hamningberg in Finnmark, the northernmost location being west of Hjelmsøybanken (71°21’N), but none of these locations have yet been investigated. A survey by the Institute for Marine Re-search in summer 2005 using the re-search vessel G. O. Sars discovered a coral reef in Sotbakken, just south of the Tromsøflaket bank (70°45’N). The reef was discovered at a depth of around 250m and was relatively large with no clear indications of fishing damage. This is the most northerly coral reef so far documented. that particularly large numbers of sponges are found on the Tromsøflaket bank. Many observations have been made of the link between fish and sponges. It is common to see Norway haddock in areas where there are many sponges. The haddock like to lie inside the funnel-shaped sponges or on the sea bottom next to the sponges. It has also been shown that sponge colonies have a rich associated fauna of small crustaceans and other invertebrates, and there is therefore reason to assume that sponges have an important ecological significance for both fish and other animals. Like corals, sponges are vulnerable to bottom trawling. Using a remote-controlled mini U-boat the Institute for Marine Research has documented that remains of sponges are left behind in trawl tracks on the seabed. In addition to the directly destructive effect (crushing) of bottom trawling, stirring up particles from the seabed can have a damaging effect on the sponges. The particles may block the sponges’ pores so that they can no longer filter food particles from the water. No one knows how much these creatures are able to tolerate of this, and there are also large gaps in our knowledge about their growth, reproduction and ability to regenerate themselves. Further surveys much needed In order to answer the questions asked involving management of resources in the Barents Sea, the species on the seabed need to be surveyed. This surveying could be viewed in the context of the need to survey and monitor biological diversity. One important step in this direction is the MAREANO (www.MAREANO.no) project, which involves collaboration between the Institute for Marine Research, Geolo- gical Survey of Norway and Norwe-gian Hydrographic Service. Surveying will be conducted by means of detailed depth surveys, video inspections and seabed sampling. Recording of benthic animals and their habitats has been included as a permanent part of the Institute for Marine Research’s “ecosystem expeditions”, the purpose of which is to study different aspects of the physical and biological environment in order to obtain a better understanding of how different factors interact. One of the results of this research will be to provide more information about which areas are important food sources for fish, and the Barents Sea will need to be surveyed in order to decide which areas require monitoring. It is especially important that negative effects are traced as quickly as possible in order that human activities can be regulated in this vulnerable sea area. A pregnant redfish (Sebastus marinus) rest between the chorales. (Lophelia and Paragorgia). ©Institute of Marine Research Damaged sponges from Tromsøflaket documented with the ROV (remotely operated vehicle) Aglantha. The sponges are aligned in small trawltracks. ©Institute of Marine Research Sponges Some 109 species of sponge are found along the coast of Norway in the Barents Sea, but there is no list available of the geographic distribution of sponge colonies. Only a few tens of these species occur in such dense numbers that they can be characterised as “sponge habitats”, the commonest in our waters being Geodia or potato sponge. Sponges generally grow in current-rich areas on seabed types such as sand and gravel with an element of large stones. The Institute for Marine Research’s bottom trawl investigations have recorded the amounts of large sponges in its catches since 1981, and the results of these show 11 By Espen Hansen, MARBIO, Tromsø Email: [email protected] MARINE BIOPROSPECTING in the north In autumn 2005 the University of Tromsø opened two new laboratories, Marbank and Marbio, which are at the centre of comprehensive efforts by the University to produce new medicines from Arctic marine organisms. Natural bioactive compounds and bioprospecting People have been using chemical compounds originating from animals, plants and microorganisms to treat illness and disease for several thousand years. Since the beginning of the 19th century a number of bioactive compounds have been isolated from nature, and today some 60% of medicines on the market originate from molecules isolated from terrestrial bacteria, funghi, plants and animals. Bioprospecting, ie searching for bioactive compounds from natural sources, takes place in five stages. The process begins with collecting material (1), after which as many compounds as possible are extracted (2) from the organisms, before the extracts are cleaned and sectioned (3), so that the different compounds in the extract can be identified (4). Finally the compounds are tested for biological activity (5). 12 Marine bioprospecting Marine bioprospecting is a young discipline in comparison with its terrestrial counterpart. Given that 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water and that some sea areas have a biodiversity equivalent to that found in the most productive rain forests, it is reckoned to be beyond all doubt that the marine environment has considerable potential as the source of new bioactive compounds. The first marine bioprospecting programmes started at the end of the 1970s but current investigations focus almost exclusively on organisms from the tropics. The organisms in our northern waters have adapted to living at low temperatures with wide variations in light and availability of food, and because of these adaptations the biochemical compounds they produce are different from the organisms found in warmer, more southerly waters. Marbank and Marbio Owing to the absence of knowledge about bioactive compounds in marine plants, animals and microorganisms from northern waters, the University of Tromsø opened the Marbank and Marbio laboratories in autumn 2005. Marbank is a national marine biobank that collects, catalogues and provides longterm storage for marine biological material from areas along the coast of Norway, Barents Sea and around Svalbard. Collection is undertaken in collaboration with institutions that include the Northern sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) outside North Cape in Finnmark. ©Stein Johansen Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Norwegian Polar Institute and Norwegian Institute for Marine Research. Marbank is also responsible for making extracts of the material collected so that research groups and commercial bodies can use these extracts for various purposes including screening for bioactive compounds. Marbio is a high capacity analytical laboratory for cleaning up and sectioning, identifying and screening bioactive compounds, and works mainly on extracts produced by Marbank. The extracts are cleaned and sectioned using high efficiency liquid chromatography (HPLC) and other means. Once cleaned, the extracts are screened for biological activity by a number of different tests. Marbio focuses on compounds for combating bacteria, viruses, cancer and inflammation. Robots perform cleaning, sectioning and screening, which means that a relatively small number of people are able to analyse a large number of tests in quite a short time. Owing to their natural proximity to interesting marine organisms that have adapted to the cold, their wide variety of specialists and their comprehensive infrastructure, Marbank, Marbio and the University of Tromsø have the potential to become leaders in a research field that also has great importance from an international perspective. THE NORTHERN COALITION: The first experience of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) effort to consolidate in the Barents region By: Sergey Zhavoronkin E-mail:[email protected] The Northern Coalition is an alliance of non-governmental environmental organizations. It is established to coordinate activities in environmental and social problems of oil and gas industry development in the North-West of Russia. Background The speed of oil and gas industry development in the Barents region will increase soon. Development of offshore oil and gas fields will assist this process. It increases risks for fragile Arctic nature and affects interests of inhabitants. The Federal center and regions, located nearby the shelf are to be prepared for this variant of development. One of the important factors of such preparedness is the experience exchange, connected with the amount of input of oil and gas industry into sustainable development of the territories. World practice shows that all the activities, connected with oil and gas condensate production and transportation have caused various environmental problems. Degradation of the natural capital makes barriers to social-economical development and assist in loss of investment attraction in the region. Taking these reasons into account, environmental NGOs think it is necessary to consolidate efforts of society in order to make a constructive dialogue between municipalities, authorities, environmental non-governmental organizations and companies, interested in long-terms perspectives of its business. NGO cooperation The Northern Coalition was established in 2003, after the international seminar “Oil and gas production and transportation in the North-west Russia: problems and possibilities for sustainable development”. The coalition coordinates activities con- Elena Kluchnikova represents GAIA in Northern Coalition, and present here the Northern Coalition at the conference; “The oil and Gas Industry and Sustainable Development of the Barents Region“ in Murmansk in November 2005. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd cerning environmental and social problems of oil and gas industry development in the North-West of Russia. The goal of our joint work is a consolidation of efforts at all levels of society, for initiation and constructive dialogue between municipalities, authorities, NGOs and companies for sustainable development of the northern territories. Bellona-Murmansk, Kola Environmental Coordination Center “Gaya”, Biodiversity Conservation Center, and the Barents Sea project office of WWF-Russia are the members of the Northern Coalition. In 2004 “Nature and Youth” joined the Coalition. According to the rules of the Northern Coalition, every year one of the member organizations is selected to hold the position; Secretary-coordinator of the Northern Coalition. The aim of the Northern Coalition is minimization of risks and harmful impact of investigation and development of petroleum fields and petroleum transport on protected natural objects and vulnerable territories, to provide sustainable development for Barents Euro-Arctic region. The Northern Coalition is directed by several principles for cooperation: - Constructive dialogue and cooperation with authorities, special nature protection bodies, local population, oil and gas companies. - Every possible support for “Joint requirements of Russian non-governmental environmental organizations for oil and gas companies, operating in Russia, its continental shelf and in exclusive economic zone”. - The Northern Coalition is not an absolute opponent of investigation, production and transportation of oil and gas, if these actions do not contradict the Coalition’s goals. - The Northern Coalition supports sustainable and environmentally and socially safe economical development of the region. - The Northern Coalition does not support the idea to solve social and environmental problems of Barents Euro Arctic region at the expenses of other regions and countries. In order to implement these tasks the Northern Coalition have arranged two international conferences. The first conference: “Oil and gas transportation through the White Sea ports. Problems and possibilities for sustainable development of municipalities” was held in 2004. The main goal of the conference was to work out an interregional program on environmental safety and sustainable development of the White Sea. In 2005, the second international conference; “Oil and gas industry and sustainable development” was held. The goal of the conference was to study the experience from other regions and countries (Sakhalin, Alaska, north of Norway) and work out recommendations for providing public participation in development of the Barents region. This conference was organized together with Bioforsk Svanhovd (Norway), and supported by the Barents secretariat. The current task of the Northern Coalition is to start work with municipalities, fist of all with municipalities where oil and gas objects exist. The northern Coalition plans to expand in the northwest of Russia and find NGO-members in Archangelsk region, Nenets Autonomus region, Republic of Karelia and Komi. 13 By Ingvild Wartiainen, Bioforsk Svanhovd Barents Sea MANAGEMENT PLAN On 31 March 2006 the Norwegian government produced an overall management plan for the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea and parts of the Norwegian Sea. Few examples exist in an international context of similar management plans for large sea areas. 14 Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus). ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd The management plan for the Norwegian sector of the Barents Sea and the sea areas off Lofoten (see map on opposite page) are ecosystem and evidence based. The plan is described in Parliamentary Paper no. 8 (2005-2006), “Overall management plan for the marine environment in the Barents Sea and sea areas off Lofoten (management plan)”. The main purpose of the plan is to establish an overall framework which will make it possible to balance the interests of industry involved in fishing, sea transport and petroleum activities, under the framework of long-term value creation. The condition of the Barents Sea’s environment depends on high environmental standards operating in the whole of the sea, not just on the Norwegian side, and the government has therefore indicated that they wish to increase collaboration with Russia in order to produce a comprehensive management plan covering the whole of the Barents Sea. This plan could also form the basis of management plans for other Norwegian sea areas. The management plan stipulates that there should be active acquisition of information and systematic monitoring, to include geology, seabed conditions and seabirds. It defines which areas are open to oil activities (outside Finnmark) and which are not, including areas adjacent to the coast, the ice edge and the polar frontal zone. The plan will be revised and updated at regular intervals, the first being in 2010. Work on the management plan was initiated by Parliamentary Paper no. 12 (2001-2002), “Clean and rich seas”. In 2002 a steering group was set up under the auspices of the Ministry of the Environment, with representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs, Ministry of Petroleum and Energy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The steering group produced assessments of the current status of communities and the environment, and investigated the consequences of activities in the sectors involving petroleum operations, shipping traffic and fishing, as well as outside influences. The reports of the sector investigations were completed in 2003-2004 and in autumn 2004 the steering group decided to set up a group of experts to prepare the specialist basis for the management plan. This group comprised representatives from the Petroleum Directorate, Directorate for Nature Management, Radiation Protection Authority, Institute of Marine Research, National Mari- time Directorate, Norwegian Coastal Administration, Institute of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Polar Institute and Pollution Control Authority. Experts from other areas were also brought in as required. In April 2005 the specialist group delivered its rapport, “The consequences of the overall influences of present-day activities on the Lofoten-Barents Sea area and in 2020”. The complete management plan can be read on: http://odin.dep.no/md/ Norsk/dok/regpubl/stmeld/ 022001-040027/dok-bn.html INTERNATIONAL NATURE CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS: • Berne Convention (into effect 1979): Agreements on hunting and fishing. Important basis for the introduction of the “Polluter pays” principle: all vertebrates, except fish, are protected unless there is a fixed hunting season. • Bonn Convention (1979): Global agreement for conservation of migratory species of wild animals. • Washington Convention (1975): Global convention on international and transport of threatened species and their products. The Convention’s aims are to regulate trade to prevent uncontrolled hunting leading to extermination or decimation of wild populations. The map shows the sea area included in the management plan for the Barents Sea (red doted line). ©The Norwegian Polar Institute 15 NORWAY – a policy for the north By Ole Anders Lindseth, Director General, Ministry of Petroleum and Energy Recent forecasts show that the global need for energy can increase by as much as 60 % in the next twenty-five years. Most of this increase will be covered by fossil fuels. The challenge can only be met if the energy world with its authorities, producers and consumers put their efforts into pushing in the same direction. The joint challenges we need to capture and act upon are many. To me two important elements are: • Security of energy supply • Secure, sustainable and environmentally good oil and gas activities The energy security has high priority on the agenda for the G8 Summit in July 2006 under the Russian presidency. Addressing this topic will enhance the global understanding of stable supplies of energy as a prerequisite for sustainable growth of the world economy. In our opinion, there is a need to further enhance the producer/consumer dialogue and the link between security of supply and security of demand. An increased global interest for the Barents Sea was triggered when estimates revealed that almost one fourth of the world’s undiscovered petroleum resources may be located in the Arctic. Large petroleum resources together with the increasing global need for energy, and secure 16 energy supply, has contributed to placing the northern areas high on the geopolitical agenda. Recognising that the north has become an energy political power centre in a global context, the new Norwegian Government has the northern areas as a main focal point. The new focus on the Arctic has led us to reconsider our policies and views with regard to fisheries, environmental concerns, climatic issues and oil and gas activities. The bilateral relations with Russia have to be underlined in this respect. We have many shared and common interests in the north. We are both large producers and exporters of oil and gas, and we have a shared responsibility for the proper management of the resources in the Barents Sea. Norway and Russia share an interest in obtaining this goal, and for this reason, Norway’s relationship with Russia is an important element of Norwegian policies concerning the Barents region. The chal- lenges in the north can only be solved in the best possible manner if our two countries cooperate closely. As strategic partners in the petroleum sector of the north, we should work together to achieve the highest level of safety and the strictest environmental requirements for the petroleum activities. This is one important part of securing public acceptance to operate in the north, which is crucial for all activities in the Arctic. Russia is moving closer to a new era in their oil and gas history with significant offshore production. Norwegian oil industry has more than 30 years experience of offshore development under harsh climatic conditions on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. As a good neighbour we will share the experiences we have. One of the priorities of the Norwegian Government is supporting the participation of the Norwegian petroleum industry in Russian petroleum projects. This applies both to our oil com- ©Hans Geir Eiken, Bioforsk Svanhovd panies and to our supply and service industry. Although we do not know for sure the size of the oil and gas resources in the Barents Sea, we believe that it may represent a new petroleum province of Europe. Thus, the Norwegian Government has an active policy for future exploration of the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea. The Barents Sea is described as one of the cleanest oceans of the world. This must be preserved. Value creation must therefore take place in such manner as to ensure an acceptable co-existence between the different users of the sea and the environment. This calls for strict rules of safety and environmental protection. Good solutions require comprehensive policies where all relevant issues are seen together. Two important tools in this respect are: • Knowledge, and • Understanding Knowledge about the geological and marine resource base, the environment, the climate, the northern society and how it can benefit from value creation must be enhanced. This is a prerequisite if we are to achieve sustainable petroleum activities in the Arctic. Thus, the Norwegian Government have recently presented to Parliament a management plan for the ocean areas in the Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea. The Government has launched a new project called Barents 2020. Under this umbrella, cooperation projects for research and development in the north will be carried out under Norwegian auspices, with participation from our Russian neighbours and other international partners. Equally important, we need to ensure that all interested parties – both national and international – fully understand and acknowledge Norwegian policies and concerns in this respect. This shall be fulfilled trough active dialogues with other coun- tries with interests in the Arctic. In addition to our energy dialogue with Russia, which was established in 1992, such dialogues have also been initiated with the US, Canada, the EU, France, Germany and Great Britain. The Norwegian Government would like to meet the challenges in the Barents Sea in a partnership with Russia and other States with interests in the north. We will also seek to continue our productive dialogue and cooperation with the industry in meeting these challenges. Forming the Arctic Energy Agenda demands clear commitment and a long-term perspective. We will continue this process, as we feel certain that it is possible to have extensive petroleum activities in the Arctic in line with sustainable development criteria. The best way to predict the future is to have an opportunity to shape it. Now we have that opportunity. 17 Major funding for RUSSO-NORWEGIAN environmental research in the Barents Sea The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is often seen along the ice edge, where it hunts for seals. It is seldom seen onshore, except when giving birth. The polar bear is preserved in all Arctic, but some indigenous people are allowed traditional hunting for polar bear. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd Statoil will provide NOK 30 million over a five year period for research into marine ecosystems in the Barents Sea, which will be conducted by the international research network ARCTOS. The agreement was signed in Longyearbyen on 24 February 2006, attended by the district governor of Svalbard. By Bjørn Kristoffersen, Statoil [email protected] 18 ARCTOS is an international research network in the field of Arctic marine ecology founded by the Norwegian College of Fishery Science, Norwegian Polar Institute, Akvaplan-niva and University Centre in Svalbard. “Information about the marine ecosystem is vital for our long term operations in the Barents Sea. The funds awarded to ARCTOS form part of an overall strategy in which we wish to contribute significant amounts for environmental research by major research institutions in both Norway and Russia. It is a condition of the agreement that Russian researchers are also involved in order to ensure that there is a common understanding of environmental conditions on both sides of the international border in the Barents Sea. Svalbard, which constitutes a unique Arctic laboratory in itself, will play a central part in these activities,” said Henrik Carlsen, who is in charge of Statoil’s operations in the Barents Sea and northern areas. The agreement will mainly pave the way for research projects of 3-5 years’ duration for the training of Ph.D. students. During the current year research will take place into ecosystems and food chains along the ice edge and with links to the seabed in the eastern Barents Sea. It is important to have a good understanding of central ecological processes in order to assess the consequences of pollution and other human influences on animal life in the Barents Sea. Additional short term research projects will also be conducted lasting 6 months to 2 years. The results will be published as they become available. Statoil wants to use the results of the scientific research to improve its analysis tools and methods of risk assessment and consequence analysis, and as a knowledge basis for environmental investigations. The results of the research will also provide the basis for the development of environmentally friendly technology and sustainable operations in the Barents Sea and other Arctic regions. Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus) is found along the ice edge in the Barents Sea. The population is now recovering after being near extinction some decades ago. Individuals sometimes migrate far south, and become the centre of great attention. To increase the knowledge about the migration some walrus carry a satellite sender. In the picture, two Norwegian scientists mark a walrus on Franz Josef Land. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd Northern Sea cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) in Jarfjord in Finnmark. ©Stein Johansen 19 The Barents Sea, one of the last large, clean, rich and productive marine ecosystems on Earth, is under increasing pressure from the oil and gas industry. Action must be taken now to safeguard the natural treasures of the Barents Sea for future generations. Shared between Russia and Norway, the Barents Sea is Europe’s last wild sea. Its waters teem with life, including huge stocks of cod, herring and capelin, as well as 17 species of marine mammals, some of the world’s largest seabird colonies, worldclass salmon rivers and cold-water corals. The diversity and productivity of the Barents Sea is of great importance for the economy of both countries. The fish caught in the Barents Sea is worth more than 3 billion USD annually. Fisheries, tourism and aquaculture employ more than 40 000 people in Northern Norway alone. The Barents Sea holds large oil and gas resources. High energy prices make these resources attractive to the industry, and many international oil companies see the region as the gateway to the enormous The map shows WWFs proposal for permanent petroleum free zones in the Barents Sea. Areas covered with ice for parts of the year are also included in the proposed zones. The map has been drawn up by WWF Norway and is based on vulnerability analyses from Det Norske Veritas (April 2005) and mapping of fish resources from the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research (March 2005). ©WWF 20 PROTECTING THE TREASURES in a sea of change By Dag Nagoda, Barents Sea Ecoregion Coordinator, WWF International Arctic Programme the coral reefs or in other very sensitive places. Some of these resources are so valuable for the ecosystem that we must be able to guarantee their continued existence. The Barents Sea now stands at an important crossroad: While the planned development of oil and gas is putting increased pressure on its limited resources, we can still choose to move forward sustainable. To do so, we need to identify and protect key areas before starting new large-scale developments. This will have three major benefits: For communities. It will protect the renewable resources as a basis for welfare and livelihoods. For conservation. It will secure that the Barents Sea remains a clean, rich and productive ocean. For business. It will provide predictability for investors, governments and other stakeholders. Puffin (Fratercula arctica) ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd hydrocarbon deposits in the Arctic. Exploitation and transportation of oil and gas in the Arctic will become easier to in the future, since sea ice is melting because of climate change. Development of the oil and gas resources in the Barents Sea will change the economic, geo-political and environmental situation of the region profoundly. It will bring along large infrastructure projects, increased risk of pollution, as well as major changes for the people living there. Oil exploration, production and transportation are inherently risky. Since 1990, there has been more than 2500 oil spills on the Norwegian Shelf. Oil and gas development results in discharges of chemicals, it disturbs habitats, and it involves risks of oil spills from blowouts, pipeline leaks and tanker accidents. The consequences of an oil spill can be disastrous if it happens in the spawning areas for the large fish stock, near seabird colonies, close to the productive ice-edge, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is, along with leading Russian and Norwegian experts, identifying the most valuable and vulnerable areas in the Russian and the Norwegian parts of the Barents Sea. These are areas that need special protection against petroleum development. Norway has already decided to ban exploration outside Lofoten until 2009, and WWF is proposing another four areas that should be closed for petroleum activity in the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea (see the map). The Barents Sea is one large marine ecosystem. An oil accident in Norway may have serious consequences for Russian economical and environmental interest, and vice versa. The Russian and Norwegian Governments are therefore equally responsible for ensuring high environmental standards on both sides of the border, including new protected areas, zero discharges to the sea and improved oil spill contingency plans. Life on Earth - plants, animals and people - is interdependent. The goals of biodiversity conservation are linked to the aspirations of human society. Ultimately, WWF believes it is in everybody’s interest to ensure a development that balances the economic interests of the oil industry with the need to safeguard the natural treasures of the Barents Sea. THE MAJOR THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY IN THE BARENTS SEA TODAY ARE: • Over- fishing is having great impacts on the marine ecosystem and has led to important changes in marine food-webs • Development of the large oil and gas deposits in the Barents Sea will lead to pollution and increased risks of large oil spills. • Climate Change will cause large changes to the Barents Sea the coming decades. The sea ice can disappear, and species are likely to be extinct. • Toxic Chemicals (POPs and heavy metals) are transported to the region by ocean currents, winds and rivers and accumulate at the end of the food chains • Alien species, such as the king crab, are introduced to the ecoregion and may cause severe impacts on the ecosystem. • Shipping is expected to increase dramatically due to the opening of new sea routes, the development of new petroleum fields and increased transportation of oil from fields further east. POP Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemical substances produced unintended in combustion processes. Typical POPs are dioxins and furans. The substances persist in the environment, bioaccumulate through the food web, and pose a risk of causing adverse effects to human health and the environment. POPs travel long distances and may cause harm a long way from the production area. Today traces of POPs are found in ecosystems all around the world. 21 ABANDONED AND SCUTTLED SHIPS IN THE KOLA BAY AREA: The source of ecological and navigation danger By Vladimir Bakharev, Environmental Harmony Evolution Fund (EHEF) The Murmansk Oblast coastal area and the Kola Bay represent a vital resource for people, flora and fauna in the region as well as the basis for industrial development. The period from the 1920s until the end of the 1980s was characterized by the rapid development of port facilities and industrial activities in the region. Towns and villages were built and military garrisons were set up with little attention to environmental issues. Today there can hardly be found any undisturbed ecosystems along the Kola Bay coast, mainly as a consequence of the fishing activities, the commercial and nuclear fleets, and other water users. The problem was aggravated by dramatic changes in the economy of the region, and the country, during the period from the Perestroika (early 90’s) to present day. Large fishing fleets, fish processing and ship repair enterprises collapsed, replaced by smaller companies paying no attention to environmental problems, seeing them as an unnecessary burden. The coastal area of the Murmansk region is, due to its geopolitical position and economic development peculiarities, characterized by high density of ships belonging to the civil fleet (fishing and 22 merchant) and the Navy. On the expiry of their lifetime some ships are decommissioned, and are bought by new owners for further exploitation, sent for dismantlement and scrapping/recycling, or partially scrapped/recycled. Hulls are left in the coastal areas, and even worse – scuttled. Vessels abandoned along the Kola Bay coast and scuttled in its water area give reason for concern, as they trigger irreversible processes of the environmental degradation and ecological threat to the coastal areas. Environmentalists are increasingly concerned by the finding of petroleum and other hazardous compounds in and near the abandoned and scuttled ships. There have been reported cases where abandoned ships have been used by careless ship own- ers as reservoirs for waste, which ought to have been delivered through official services to harbor reception facilities for further treatment or utilization. Monitoring the bottom sediment pollution revealed a content of pollutants (heavy metals, PCB and petroleum hydrocarbons) at the dumpsites ten times higher than in other areas of the Kola Bay. There are no national standards in Russia for the allowed content of pollutants in the bottom sediments. Therefore, the level of the bottom sediment pollution was analyzed as compared to the pollution level of the open area in the Barents Sea. Recently the pollution level classification system from Norway, defined by the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) is often used. According to this classification, the bottom sediment Picture of the author among abandoned ships onshore at the Kola Fjord. ©Vladimir Bakharev Abandoned vessels in Kola Bay. ©Bjørn Frantzen pollution by heavy metals in the region of the Green Cape dumpsite refers to the group V (Very Bad) when it comes to copper and lead content, and to the group IV (Bad) for chrome and nickel (based on the analysis of samples taken in 2002 and treated at the MUGMS laboratory). The Kola Bay is ranked as fishing reservoir of top priority, where Atlantic salmon and humpback salmon are migrating through to the spawning areas in the Kola and Tuloma rivers. The dumpsites of abandoned ships and shipwrecks contribute to pollution already done by liquid waste and sewage originating from Murmansk, Severomorsk, Polyarny and other coastal settlements, by preventing pollutants from being transported away by water masses. The purity of the fish, as well as people’s health, depends on the purity of the Kola Bay environment. Waters from the bay transport pollutants to the coastal areas of the Barents Sea, areas of intensive fisheries’ activity. Thus, ship dumpsites produce negative impact on bottom sediments and waters of the Barents Sea. This attributes an international dimension to the problem. The major part of abandoned and scuttled ships cannot be regarded as ships anymore as they are not seaworthy and their hulls look like a sieve as the result of profound corrosion. According to expert estimations, in addition to abandoned and half – sunken ships along the coastline, there are 40 scuttled ships and metal construc- Map where sunken and abandoned ships in the Kola Bay area are marked. ©Vladimir Bakharev tions located in the Kola Bay water area. Sad truth, proven by statistics, is that even nowadays, in spite of all modern navigation and safety facilities, accidents still happen and ships still sink even in the Kola Bay where salvage units are readily available. The latest accident happened in 2005 in the Saida Bay, where the floating crane No1735 sank. As a rule, ships sunken in the Kola Bay are neither recovered nor removed. The reason is – salvage is expensive. All in all, shipwrecks are the source of serious navigation danger, even though their location is marked on navigation maps and in situ by navigation signs in the water. Another noteworthy example of sunken ships causing navigation danger is the hunting ship “Teriberka” that sank in the water area of Murmansk Commercial Harbor in 1993. In addition to the navigation danger, this ship is an environmental danger as she still holds some 46 tons of gasoline (by ASMI records). The ship sunk in the fairway, and buoys mark her location. Minimum clearance between the body of the ship and the water surface is 17 meters. There have been 4 registered cases of collisions of large ships with the “Teriberka” hull. As good luck would have it, no major consequences followed. Over the last years, the problem of scuttled and sunken ships posing danger to navigation in the Kola Bay has become more acute with the view of dynamics and development of shipping and transshipping of oil products in the Kola Bay. Especially the development with the use of large tankers and offshore oil terminals network, represent a risk. The number of ship calls at the Kola Bay increased in 2004 as compared to previous years. The statistics is as follows: total number of calls; 86928, including 1855 foreign-, and 84507 Russian ships. The number of large capacity ships was 4224, and 2929 calls was accompanied by foggy weather. All abandoned and scuttled ships, as well as all other ships, are regularly detected and monitored on the screens of the SUDS operators. It enables to provide the tankers navigation and mooring safety. The Kola Bay is the federal property. Yet, none of the federal programs provides any measures for rehabilitation of the Kola Bay environment. Removal of ships from the dumpsites will eliminate the source of the intensive water and bottom sediment pollution, the ecological danger hot spot, and enhance navigation safety. 23 By Bjørn Frantzen and Alexei Bambulyak, Bioforsk Svanhovd PETROLEUM TRANSPORT from the Russian sector of the Barents region Following the increase in oil exports from the Russian sector of the Barents region in 2002 (here called the Russian Barents), it was expected that export volumes would mushroom and reach 150 millions tonnes annually over the course of 10 years, but at present this seems to be proceeding more slowly than anticipated. In 2004, 12 million tonnes of oil were transported from Russia along the coast of North Norway, and in 2005 this figure was 9.5 million tonnes. Nevertheless there is reason to believe that considerable volumes will continue to be transported in future along the coast of North Norway. Why is this export of oil along the sea route from the Russian Barents taking place now? There are several reasons for this. The most important is that European markets wish to be less dependent on oil from the Middle East. Japan, China, India, Korea, USA and Europe are all negotiating with Russia to obtain access to the country’s large oil and gas resources. Russia has direct access to the open sea at only one place in Europe – the Barents Sea. In the western part of the Russian 24 Barents Sea super tanker terminals can be built to serve more distant markets, such as the USA. The Black Sea has tight restrictions on shipping traffic through the Bosphorus. In the Baltic Russia has access to the sea through the Gulf of Finland and Kaliningrad, but the Kattegat places natural restrictions on ship size and in some years the Gulf of Finland may experience considerable problems with ice. In the Russian sector of the Barents Sea only the western part of the Murman coast is icefree. Russia therefore has no coastal areas in the west that are entirely “problemfree”. From this perspective it might be expected that Russia would rapidly increase its transport of oil through the Barents Sea, for example from Murmansk, which is largely free of ice throughout the year. Even so it has been shown that from 2002 to the present day Russia increased the capacity of its oil exports in the Baltic by 80 million tonnes, ie 8 times more than in the Barents Sea during the same period. Capacity through Novorussia in the Black Sea also increased during this period. Time will show who is permitted to buy oil from Russia. Oil has always been used as a strategic political instrument. Some analysts maintain that Russia is growing tired of the EU’s and USA’s constantly expressed opinion that the Russians use oil and gas as political tools against their neighbours. Russia has spent much energy on oil and gas extraction in the last 20 years, but little on exploring new areas. This means that detailed surveying of new resources has fallen behind, and this will delay any increase in export volumes. No large increase in overall oil exports from Russian can therefore be expected in the next 10 years, and therefore no large increase in the volumes transported along the Norwegian coast before the onshore oilfields in the Russian Barents and northwest Siberia come on stream. Much also depends on how quickly production of offshore oil gets underway in the Russian sec- tor of the Barents Sea. The Russian authorities have taken more control over Russian oil companies in recent years and now regulate the companies’ plans for expansion, operation and shipping. There is reason to believe that the main focus is now aimed at areas other than the Russian Barents. In the light of the above, let us examine the existing and planned capacity for export of oil from the Russian Barents and Kara Sea. Should it so happen that all the terminals currently planned become operative and upgraded, this will mean that 100 million tonnes might be transported from Oil is exported from the White Sea, which is transported to the Russian Barents by rail and by small tank vessels along the waterways from east and south Russia, a total of some 25 million tonnes each year. The oil is transshipped from the railway onto tank vessels, the two most important terminals being Rosneft Talagi (7 million tonnes) near Archangel, and Vitino (12 million tonnes) in the Kandalaksha Gulf. New terminals will be built at Severodvinsk (2 million tonnes) and Onega (5 million tonnes). Oil is also exported from the Kola Fjord that comes from the east: Kara Sea, the Russian Barents along the coast of North Norway every year. 50 million tonnes might be transported each year from the Pechora Basin, the most southeasterly part of the Barents Sea. Here the Prirazlomnoye oil platform will come into production some time between 20082012 (7.5 million tonnes p.a.). As the first commercial platform in ice, it will be a severe test of what might be a normal operation in the Russian Arctic in the future. The pipeline to Indiga, on the coast of the Nenets Autonomous Region, will be operative within 10 years, with a maximum capacity of 30 million tonnes annually. LUKoil is building a new terminal for export of oil on Varandej, which will open in 2008 and export more than 10 million tonnes of oil p.a. 30 million tonnes of oil is expected to leave the Kara Sea each year via the harbour on Dickson island when the Vankor field becomes operative, plus 3 million tonnes annually from the River Ob. Pechora Basin and White Sea. The oil arrives in small tank vessels and is loaded onto larger vessels for transport to markets in the west. The Kola Fjord acquired its first transshipment terminal in 2002 and now has five terminals. Murmansk also receives oil that arrives by rail for export. This oil comes from the south, eg from the area around Moscow. The transshipment that takes place on the Norwegian side of the frontier will not alter the total amount of oil transported along the coast of North Norway, since this oil is being exported from a Russian area. Oil is a dangerous load. Although accidents do not happen very often, those that do occur can have enormous consequence. Successful environmental work is needed in relation to oil transport, both in the form of prevention and through strict precautions for combating oil spill. We want this work to be based on high environmental standards. Experience shows that traditional, bilateral environmental collaboration on the part of the authorities is not sufficient on its own. It is therefore desirable for strong Russo-Norwegian industrial collaboration to take place in which Norway’s high environmental standards are conveyed to the Russian side and used as the basis for the operations being expanded there. This collaboration should be developed under the control of the authorities, since industry’s main focus is on earning money. What motivates industry to maintain satisfactorily high environmental standards in its activities and production methods is the engagement of the authorities and local population. From the left: The floating oil terminal, Belokamenka in the Kola Bay. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd The Oil terminal northeast on the island Kolguev in the Petsjora Sea export smaller amounts of oil. The shallow waters outside the terminal have lead to problems for ships in bad weather; the picture shows a ship onshore. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd Large flocks of bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica) and other waders feed in the bays around the White Sea in the spring and summer months. Oil spill and petroleum activity in these areas can be devastating for the wildlife and has to be protected through good oil spill preparedness. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd 25 RUSSO-NORWEGIAN collaboration TO COMBAT OIL SPILL Norway and Russia have been working together to combat oil spill since 1989 and have held joint exercises since 1991. Good standards of cooperation are important in ensuring adequate precautions against oil spill in the Barents Sea. By Ole Kristian Bjerkemo, Divisional Manager, Norwegian Coastal Administration, Horten Training on the use of oil protection equipment in the Kola Fjord. ©The Norwegian Coastal Administration 26 Joint emergency plan Collaboration with Russia on measures to combat oil spill in the Barents Sea started in 1989. The first joint practical oil spill combat exercise between Norway and Russia was organised in Tromsø in 1991 in combination with a “table top” exercise. This was based on an incident that took place during exploration activities on the Norwegian continental shelf, since the Gulf Stream will carry any pollution eastwards. The exercise clarified warning routines and outlined how collaboration would operate in case of an accident, and formed the basis of preparations for a joint emergency plan. Norway wished to set up a mutual warning and assistance agreement with the Russians on the same lines as other agreements relating to oil and chemical accident prevention. The environmental department of the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority began working with the Environmental Ministry in Moscow, represented by the State Marine Pollution Control, Salvage & Rescue Administration (SMPCSRA) and its local offices in Murmansk. An important part of the agreement was a joint emergency plan. This would regulate the collaboration arrangements in detail, including warnings, assistance and organisation in case of accidents involving oil pollution, and planning and conducting of exercises, research and development (R&D), meeting schedules, and mutual exchange of information. After several meetings all parties accepted a draft text of the agreement. The final agreement was signed by the Norwegian Minister for the Environment and Russian Minister for Transport on 28 April 1994 in Moscow. Meetings and exercises The emergency plan has continued to develop based on experience gained from annual exercises right up to the present day. The Norwegian Coastal Administration has always played an important part in implementing these exercises. In addition, personnel from the national oil spill combat depot in Vadsø have participated in a number of exercises held mainly in the area from Vadsø to various locations off the Kola peninsula, the last one being Barents Rescue 2005. BR 2005 took place off Honningsvåg and its planning and conducting provided further experience. Increased knowledge As part of the collaboration arrangements, activities have been held for the purpose of improving collaboration and increasing oil spill prevention and combat expertise among the Russian partners involved. One of these activities was an oil spill prevention course for the personnel who will be responsible for the first action to be taken at the site of an incident. Several courses have also been held in incident management. These are organised by staff from the Norwegian Coastal Administration supported by expertise from Russia and financed by funding from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (UD) and a contribution from the Norwegian Coastal Administration. Large amounts of oil products are currently being transported from Russia along the Norwegian coast to ports in Europe and the USA, and this will continue in the future. These mainly constitute crude oil and petroleum products from different oilfields in northwest Russia. Owing to lack of information about how this oil would behave in the sea in case of an accident, the Norwegian Coastal Administration has engaged SINTEF to perform a study to obtain more information about the disintegration characteristics of these types of oil. This will involve a considerable amount of work since a variety of different oil qualities arrive in the Murmansk area from large parts of Russia to be transported further to international markets. The products are then mixed up while being reloaded from railway wagons in Murmansk, which makes the need for information about these products extremely important. One of the needs identified during the many years that the collaboration arrangements have lasted is improving clean-up in the beach zone - ie dealing with oil pollution that has reached land. EMERCOM of Russia (the Ministry of Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters) is in charge of operations on the Russian side should oil reach the shore. As a result of this, the Norwegian Coastal Administration together with CNIIMF (Central Marine Research and Design Institute Ltd) from St Petersburg and MBASU (Murmansk Basin Salvage Department) have produced emergency plans to provide a better and more effective response in relation to beach clean-up. This in turn has identified several possible new projects, which together will aid in strengthening overall measures to combat oil spill, such as improving beach clean-up expertise. Improved oil spill prevention and combat equipment have been central concerns among those involved right from the start. The Norwegian side has recently initiated a project, which will assist in the development of oil spill prevention and combat equipment for use in cold and icy waters. The NATO-Russia Council (NRC) supports this work. Two working meetings have been held in Horten and Moscow and considerations are currently taking place as to how the work should proceed. Future collaboration Experience over a period of more than 15 years shows that collaboration arrangements continue to develop. Permanent collaboration by means of warning and assistance agreements has become stronger and will continue to do so. Examples of this are the planned exercises including save and rescue operations, while perspectives involving both sea safety and environmental monitoring have progressed beyond the traditional oil spill combating aspects. Picture from the First Responder course in Murmansk in March 2005. ©The Norwegian Coastal Administration Taken as a whole this will lead to better understanding and coordination should an accident take place. In addition, various projects have resulted in Norwegian companies with expertise in the oil spill prevention field finding opportunities to set up operations in north west Russia in collaboration with Russian companies and institutions, eg in relation to training and information connected with Russian crude oil. Good collaboration with Russia will play a valuable part in improving the prevention and combat of oil spill by both Norway and the Barents Region. 27 Oil on water practice. ©NOFO Norwegian operating companies COLLABORATE TO COMBAT OIL SPILL by Tom Gederø, NOFO If a major oil spill took place off our coast, Norway would cope very well. Close collaboration over joint emergency resources by the oil industry, government and local authorities means that we would be able to make the best possible use of our equipment and expertise, says Tharald M. Brekne, director of the Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO). 28 The probability of a large accidental oil spill occurring as a result of petroleum activities on the Norwegian shelf is very small. Nevertheless the operating companies are focusing strongly on measures to prevent this. Through the Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO) they have developed world-leading equipment and built up an operational apparatus to prevent the environment being damaged should an oil spill take place. “We in the petroleum industry have a responsibility, both in our own field and to society as a whole. The ability to handle a possible oil spill is fundamental. Moreover it is a fact that our presence increases safety along the coast generally, for example if a shipping accident were to occur,” declared Brekne. Tripartite responsibility Emergency resources in Norway are tripartite: private, municipal and governmental. Private resources, such as companies’ own resources, are dimensioned to deal with discharges from their own operations. Municipal resources are organised via 34 intercommunal committees for dealing with acute pollution incidents (IUA) and are designed to handle discharges from normal activities in the area, such as pollution from local industry, tank installations or similar. The Norwegian Coastal Administration is in charge of national resources, which are aimed at dealing with acute pollution from shipping traffic and other activities not covered by private and municipal provision. In order for all problems to be dealt with in the best way, NOFO has established collaboration arrangements, which will provide access to all municipal, national and private resources. “We can draw on everything from coastguard vessels to small fishing boats and people with local knowledge. Collaboration is a central part of our work. This makes the operating companies better able to deal with any accidents that might occur, and at the same time it means that the best possible emergency resources are available along the whole of the Norwegian coast,” says Brekne. Development of new equipment The systems and regulations developed for the Norwegian shelf have strict requirements as regards technical quality, separate barriers and operating procedures to prevent anything going wrong during exploration and production, and this has reduced the risk of accidents significantly. There has been systematic focus for decades on measures to prevent and combat oil spill, and Norway has considerable expertise, both in operational resources and in equipment. “We have worked particularly hard in the last few years on developing the next generation of oil spill combat equipment and all our equipment will have been renewed by 2007, at a price of around 200 million Norwegian kroner,” says Brekne. Cold and dark NOFO’s aim is to ensure that oil emergency resources have been properly adapted for the conditions encountered by the oil and gas industry when it moves further north on the continental shelf. “Wave heights in the Barents Sea are a bit easier to cope with than in parts of the Norwegian Sea. Because we have specially equipped planes and helicopters which can detect accidental discharges of oil on the surface of the sea by using infrared cameras and sensors, we now have better emergency resources in the dark winter months as well,” he explained. In recent years the oil industry has also worked on developing new radar technology for ships. The new technology will be able to detect oil on the sea, whatever the lighting and weather conditions. There are also many other problems involving low temperatures, wind and ice, which specialists in this field are attempting to solve. Low sea temperatures may also mean that some types of oil become stiff in the sea, making it difficult both to remove the oil from the sea and to discharge it from ships’ storage tanks. Here also equipment and resources have been developed which will make these operations more effective. “There are also strict regulations relating to oil spill combat resources for exploration in the north. On one of the planned borings in the Barents Sea one NOFO system must be on permanent standby besides the drilling rig, and an additional ten other systems must be able to be in place within 66 hours if an accident should take place. The Norwegian oil industry in the north will play its part in reducing overall risks to the environment, and our emergency resources can also be used in case of a shipping accident,” said Brekne. FACTS ABOUT NOFO The Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies (NOFO) is an association of operators on the Norwegian continental shelf. NOFO looks after the emergency resources for combating oil spill required by the operating companies during exploration and oil and gas production. The purpose of the association is to manage and maintain emergency resources to combat acute oil pollution, including personnel, equipment and vessels. NOFO will be responsible for training and instruction of emergency and maintenance personnel and will keep abreast of changes in oil spill technology and research and development aimed at improving oil spill combat resources. The association's work also includes the development of emergency plans and oil spill combat equipment for sea, coast and beach zones, including administration of the agreements necessary to maintain adequate emergency provision. SUPPORTING EFFECTIVE OIL SPILL COMBAT MEASURES NOFO has its own oil spill combat fund that administers NOK two million annually. Part of the aims of the fund are to encourage development and innovation by industry and local bodies in north Norway, plus other measures to improve oil spill combat resources in the northern part of the country. Funding is only granted to businesses that operate in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark. NOFO cooperates with NorLense on development of oil booms. ©NOFO 29 Increased Petroleum activity in the Barents Sea is good news, some people argue. Anticipated benefits are income boosts, development of regional infrastructure, and growth in employment and living standards. However, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is concerned about the environmental safety standards applied to the existing level of oil and gas activities in the Barents region, and increased activity will increase the risk potential. To address the most immediate needs of the region, WWF have introduced new oil spill response equipment and are developing oil spill clean-up expertise. Petroleum activities in Russian part of the Barents Sea Oil transshipment is a risky enterprise if not accompanied by adequate prevention and response measures. According to media reports, about 300 companies in the Murmansk Oblast are involved in oil and gas development, processing, storage, transportation and sales. Russian regulations require that every single company in this business must have response plans in place for handling different levels of oil spill, but so far only a few companies do. Even fewer have their own response units and adequate equipment; it’s an expensive commitment. 30 By Mikhail Kalentchenko, Project Leader, WWF-Russia E-mail: [email protected] WORLD WILDLIFE FUND’S “Clean Coast” program Oil protection practice in Vardø in February 2006, a training course arranged by WWF Norway, the Clean Coast Program. ©Ingrid Jensvoll, Bioforsk Svanhovd As the law allows the companies to contract professional response units to safeguard preparedness of an operator, most of them prefer to do so. Murmansk Basin Salvage Department (MBASU) is the only contractor responsible for oil spill response in the Russian Economic Zone of the Barents Sea. Yet it has no responsibility whatsoever for coastal clean up in the event of an oil spill. The regional branch of ECOSPAS Ltd (Murmansk Region Centre for Salvage and Ecological Operations) is responsible for coastal clean up operations. Another three to four companies are also contracted by operators to provide oil spill response capability. Yet there still remains a shortage in suitable contractors. Despite these shortages, plans for the development of new terminals and fields are underway. Oil spills cause the greatest damage when they reach the coast. Existing regulations dictates that an oil spill should be contained at sea in the first four hours after it occurs. Yet it is hard to believe that MBASU vessels will be able to meet these standards in the areas from Varandey to the Kola Bay. The target is only achievable if dozens of properly equipped ships patrol the Barents Sea. If not, an oil spill is likely to end up reaching the shore and killing sea birds and mammals, a potential disaster during the breeding season. Implementation of measures proposed by WWF to mitigate impacts of oil development and transportation, such as development of protected areas network, no-go areas, and establishing special routes for tankers 30 to 40 miles from the coast, will take some time. However, WWF can’t wait for these measures to be implemented without taking additional action. two exercises in 2005 (Fig. 1). To enhance the performance standards, WWF approached Murmansk State Teachers Training University experts and ECOSPAS personnel to develop a training program for volunteers that met Russian education standards. During the autumn of 2005, the program was developed and approved by EMERCOM Murmansk Branch (The Ministry of Russian Federation for Civil Defence, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters). The participants of the program will acquire knowledge about the natural resources of the Barents Sea Ecoregion, the risks associated with oil spills, clean up techniques and safety, and try their hands in a mock clean-up exercise. In February 2006, a group of 15 volunteers joined a two-week training program at the Murmansk State Teachers Training University to be followed by one-day field exercise arranged by the ECOSPAS Murmansk branch. Within the framework of this program, a group of 20 Russian youths participated in training arranged by WWF in Vardø in March 2006. By the end of 2006, at least 60 Russian volunteers should be trained and a valuable reserve for future clean up operations established. In Norway, WWF will train between 100 and 150 volunteers in close collaboration with the Norwegian Coastal Authorities in 2006. The training program can potentially be adjusted for the needs of professionals and used for building expertise in the region. It is important to have regional training centers in Russia, because the closest training centers are located in Moscow and Saint Petersburg. Another purpose of the Clean Coast project is to fill in the gap in financing of oil spill preparedness. WWF cannot pay for all equipment needed in the Barents Sea Region. However, out of limited financing available to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) we managed to allocate an amount sufficient to buy more than 200 meters of booms for MBASU as well as basic equipment for our volunteers. We hope that this symbolic contribution will send an important signal to the authorities responsible for safety of the environment. Oil protection practice in Murmansk in 2005, a training course arranged by WWF Murmansk. ©WWF Murmansk WWF’s Clean Coast training program The WWF “Clean Coast” project aims to educate and train volunteers from communities in Russia and Norway about how to clean up the coast in the event of an oil spill in the Barents Sea. The project is based on experiences from WWF Finland and Spain. In Russia, the WWF Barents Sea Ecoregion Office in Murmansk arranged 31 VARDØ TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTRE By Terje Alling, Norwegian Coastal Administration The Norwegian Coastal Administration’s traffic control centre in Vardø will open in January 2007. In particular the centre will monitor ship traffic carrying dangerous loads on the stretch from Rørvik to the Russian border. The Norwegian Coastal Administration was requested to establish a traffic control centre in Vardø, which will be completed in January 2007. Coastal Administration West from the Central Pilot and Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) office in Haugesund was asked to manage the expansion project, while Troms and Finnmark district will be responsible for operating the traffic control centre. During 2007 the project and the management organisation will overlap in order to ensure that the transition goes smoothly and to safeguard those parts of the development projects that will be phased in after the start. The centre in Vardø will cover shipping traffic in the area from Rørvik to the Russian border and will concentrate main32 ly on the transport of dangerous and toxic loads along the coast. The traffic control centre will form a very important link in the Norwegian Coastal Administration’s emergency organisation and will work closely with the Coastal Administration’s Emergency Division should any adverse incidents take place. Computer-based support tools are currently being developed which will provide guidance and relieve pressure on traffic managers when dealing with accidents and incidents, as well as improving and protecting the flow of information between the various parties concerned. In order to meet needs for communication between ships and the traffic control centre the Coastal Administration intends to expand its collaboration with Telenor Kystradio (coastal radio) by utilising its existing chain of coastal radio stations. The centre will be given access for monitoring purposes to data from the Coastal Administration’s AIS chain and the defence forces’ radar chain. The new warning regime SafeSeaNet will also provide important data for the traffic control centre in Vardø. The centre will have a total of nine employees: eight traffic managers and an operations manager. Vardø’s traffic managers will undergo a training programme at the central pilot and VTS office in Haugesund and will spend a probationary period at other traffic control centres Vardø in November light. ©Hans Geir Eiken, Bioforsk Svanhovd before tests and operations start in Vardø at the end of the year. Following a comprehensive tendering process Norcontrol IT was selected by the Coastal Administration to supply the systems for the Vardø traffic control centre. These consist of a conventional monitoring unit and a messaging service, which will enable direct data communication between the monitoring systems and other databases. This is the first time that the Coastal Administration has effected such a link between traffic monitoring and static and journey-related shipping data, so we have great expectations for our work with Norcontrol IT in Vardø. SAFE SEA NET AIS Safe Sea Net is a European electronic reporting and information system for improving the safety of ship traffic. The Norwegian Safe Sea Net (SSN) is the reporting system that must be used by all ships entering and leaving Norwegian ports. It was developed and is operated by the Coastal Administration. Ships of 300 GT (gross tonnage) and above, and all ships carrying hazardous or toxic loads, regardless of size, must report via SSN. As its name suggests, the AIS (Automatic Identification System) is an automatic identification system for ships introduced by the UN’s international maritime organisation, the IMO, to increase safety for ships and the environment and to improve maritime traffic monitoring and vessel traffic services. The Norwegian Coastal Administration has a landbased network comprising 35 AIS base stations on the coast of Norway. AIS is an important tool in preventing collisions between ships, as well as a good means for coastal states to obtain information about a ship and its load. An AIS transponder on board a ship automatically provides other ships and coastal state authorities with information from the ship. On board a ship AIS information received from other ships will supplement radar-based information and assist in detecting and identifying ships. AIS use a longer wavelength than radar and therefore offer better coverage behind obstacles provided the ground is not too high. AIS also means that ships can be detected which would otherwise merge in with the land or other radar echo. With some exceptions, the Coastal Administration’s AIS network covers the area from the baseline to 40-60 nautical miles out from the coast. 33 OIL AND REINDEER HERDSMEN in the Nenets Autonomous Region (NAO) By Vladislav Peskov, President of the public movement: Association of the Nenets nation “Yasavey” Email: [email protected] The Nenets Autonomous Region (NAO) is one of the subjects of the Russian Federation. The approximate number of inhabitants is without taking into account the transient workers for the oil companies. Almost the entire territory of the region is located beyond the Arctic Circle. The indigenous people are the Nenets nation, and make about 14% of the total population. Reindeer pastures occupy 70% of the NAO. The capital of the region is Narjan-Mar, where almost a half of the regions population lives. The remaining population is settled in the countryside and a small proportion resides at the tundra leading a nomadic life. Development of oil fields in the NAO began in 1970’s, and on this matter a large body of information and publications is available, one example being the book by Victor Tolkachev “ The road to oil”. It comprehensively covers the process of discovery and development of oil-and-gas fields on the territory of the NAO. Reindeer herding is one of the main activities of the indigenous and resident population. The total reindeer livestock in the region is about 120.000. At present, private livestock has increased. People engaged in reindeer herding are the Nenets and Komi-Izhemets. Today there are 14 rural producers’ cooperatives formed on the basis of former collective farms and 34 state farms. A few communities of indigenous people are also involved in reindeer herding. According to provisional estimation approximately 1500 people are directly occupied with reindeer herding. However, almost the whole rural population is related to reindeer herding as all large settlements serve as bases for reindeer farms. Some farms from the Komi Republic use summer pastures on the territory of the Nenets Region. Nomadic way of living has been maintained in the west, in the Kanin tundra, and in the east, in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra. In the middle part of the region, reindeer herdsmen live mostly in settlements and work on the tundra as transient herders. Economy of the region The economics of the Nenets Region depends on the natural resources and are directly connected to development of oil fields. The budget for 2006 constitutes about 4 billion rubles where nearly half of it is tax from mineral resources. Unfortunately, the proportion of the tax remaining in the region is decreasing. Formerly 60% remained in the region, then 20% and 13% while now just 5% of the tax remains in the NAO. As the Nenets Region is considered to be a donor region, the fund flow from the federal budget back to the region is very low. Access to financial resources of the federal centre is a very complicated process, and often it is easier not to receive funds from the federal budget. As a result of recent administrative reforms, the Nenets Region have to share its income with the Arkhangelsk Region. In 2005, 500 million rubles from the Nenets regional budget were withdrawn for the benefit of the Arkhangelsk Region; in 2006, this increased to 600 million rubles. Since this is a contractual process, negotiations for 2007 between these two subjects of the Russian Federation are expected to be very hard. Taking into account the above situation, the Nenets Region many times suggested spending these funds on activities and programs of direct benefit for both regions, but so far the Arkhangelsk Region has not given any response to this suggestion. Besides, the current taxation policy of the Russian Federation allow oil companies to pay taxes in place of their registration not in place of their operation. This contributes to a concentration of financial resources in the federal centre. The whole situation seems unfair, especially in relation to the subjects of the Russian Federation. Enormous resources are extracted in the north and spent in the south. Stabilization fund of the Russian Federation is formed. However, problems of social development in the northern territories are not up for discussion, instead issues related to development of oil and gas fields and construction of pipelines, which make a profit for the federal centre are vividly discussed. The issues of house-building, development of social infrastructure, improvement of quality of life of the population in the north of Russia are not prioritized and are assigned to the regions themselves. The federal centre gives the regions only one opportunity and that is to intensify exploitation of natural resources. The results of this financial policy may be exemplified as follows. In the Nenets Region there is a program of social and economic development for indigenous people of the North, which is financed with 4% of the tax from the mineral resources that remains in the region. Within the frames of this program houses for herdsmen are being built and different issues of social and economic development of the peoples of NAO are being solved. An increase of the tax proportion to the Arkhangelsk region in 2006 resulted in the reduction of this program financing from 40 million in 2005 to 30 million rubles in 2006. However, oil production is being increased, and the funding for this program should have been raised equally. Neverthe- ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd. less, the situation develops quite the contrary. In 2006 only about 7.5 million rubles will be allocated to house building, which is evidently not enough. About 90 herdsmen are on the waiting list of the Department on affairs of indigenous people of the North at the NAO Administration to get subsidies for house building. Association of the Nenets Nation “Yasavey” Issues pertaining to relationships between herdsmen and oil industry workers are settled in the NAO. This process is adjusted and normalized with participation of government bodies of the region. Almost all oil companies conclude agreements on cooperation, effect compensation payments and implement different programs. The process of making agreements starts with allotment of land. Now almost all reindeer farms carry on negotiations and make bilateral agreements. Information on this issue is scarce and based mainly on materials from oil companies themselves. However, since 2001 the public movement: Association of the Nenets Nation “Yasavey”, has launched the process of public discussion of this issue. The recent four years a few roundtable discussions and different meetings have been organized. Representatives of governmental bodies, oil companies and public were invited to these meetings. It can be said that the process of discussing the above problems and searching for ways out has moved forward. A series of materials is published, and now a procedure of making agreements is being developed. The “Yasavey” Association, being an organization for indigenous nations, concludes long-term agreements with oil companies and even to date such agreements exists with: “Lukoil-Sever”, “Narjanmarneftegaz” and “Severnoje siyanije”. As for other companies, negotiations for agreements are being conducted. Within the frames of such agreements a program of actions is coordinated annually, which is further implemented. The large social project “Kaninsky Krasny Chum” (“Kanin Red Tent”) implemented in 2002 and 2005 jointly with the “Lukoil” company is one such agreement. All the materials and texts of agreements are available at the office of the “Yasavey” Association. It may be considered that with a rational approach based on principles of partnership and mutual understanding it is feasible to establish long-term relationships and to meet all the challenges by the way of a dialog and cooperation. Great problems and concerns still remain, especially regarding the ecological situation in oil production areas, implementation of large projects such as pipelines “Yuzhnaya Khylchuyu – Varandey” and “Kharjaga – Indiga”, and plans for development of the Arctic shelf. In many respects it is related to continuous alterations of the federal legislation and control functions of the federal authorities. Recent reorganization of federal ministries dealing with ecological control has lead to confusions. Until now there has been no program of the complex exploration of the TimanoPechora adopted at the level of the Russian Federation, although this question is raised repeatedly. Besides, the concept of ethnological expertise is not applied to projects on oil and gas production. Nevertheless, it may be inferred that by taking further initiatives, it is possible at least to change the current situation for the better, although this is a very complicated and difficult process. We need to learn ourselves and to teach herdsmen and oil industry workers in order to reach mutual understanding. It would be fruitful to submit for public discussion as many issues as possible related to long-term prospects, sustainable development and maintaining traditional way of living. The most important is to look for solutions satisfying all the sides and to care about what will remain in the Nenets Region for the future generations. 35 Polarbase, the supply area for the petroleum activities in Hammerfest, which also includes a freeze hotel for fish, salmon butchery, fish container factory, and the production hall of Norway Seafood. ©Hammerfest municipality EXCITING DEVELOPMENTS in the north by Alf E. Jakobsen, Chairman of Hammerfest Council 36 We must make use of our opportunities here in the north. We cannot live only on love and air, although they are certainly important. Fish and oil can go hand in hand with responsible management in all areas. If we want young people to stay here or to return, we must have jobs that use their education. Today we are educating our young people to leave this part of the country. Snøhvit (Snow White) and Hammerfest The expansion of the Snøhvit plant in Hammerfest and the LNG plant on Melkøya Island mean that Finnmark will soon play a serious part in petroleum operations. This also means the start of extraction of oil and gas on the Norwegian side of the Barents Sea. This has not happened overnight. From starting exploration drilling in 1980 and making the first find in 1981 to extraction of natural gas on the Snøhvit field has taken around 25 years. I usually say that we hold the world record when it comes to patience, but we must also realise that technology has improved NATURAL GAS during these years and the concept we now have is completely different from what it would have been if the project had started earlier. From stagnation and a declining population, we are now experiencing optimism and an increase in the number of people living in Hammerfest. What is best is that it is the age group of 20 to 39 years that is experiencing greatest population growth, and births are now exceeding deaths. Put simply, this means that Hammerfest now has a younger population, and this is a healthy sign for any local community. High environmental demands in the Barents Sea Environmental and safety requirements have grown steadily stricter since operations started in the North Sea. The technology has also improved steadily. The Snøhvit project has no surface installations in the sea in the operating phase. The LNG plant is landbased and is managed from onshore. Trawlers are able to operate (fish) over sea bottom installations and pipelines, and the routes of pipelines are decided in consultation with fishermen. Environmental requirements in the Barents Sea have been increased from Class 0: hazardous discharge, to Class 0 discharge. Judging from what the government is envisaging, I expect strict requirements to be introduced for CO2 handling for future gas power stations. It is also good to note that CO2 will be used as the pressure support for producing more from the fields in the future. The use of CO2 as a resource in the petroleum industry is a goal that authorities on different levels, environmental protection organisations and oil companies should work towards together. It makes sense to use CO2 as part of the value chain instead of releasing it into the atmosphere or passively allowing it to lie unused at the bottom of the sea. The development of new technology for capturing the maximum amounts of CO2 will need even more research and resources. The challenge for the authorities and the oil companies is to act together sensibly so that sufficient resources can be prioritised for this. Increased emergency resources and growth in local communities Another positive environmental result of using the Norwegian side of the Barents Sea for petroleum extraction is that emergency resources are being much increased in the northern areas by the use of tugboats, support boats and other emergency equipment. This is important, especially in relation to shipping traffic and tank vessel operations from the Russian side. Russian oil traffic will continue, regardless of what we do in the way of petroleum operations on the Norwegian side, and according to existing plans, Russian developments can be expected to increase. North Norway has exciting times ahead of it, but to make the most of them we must hold several things in our heads at the same time. East Finnmark in particular needs fresh impetus behind its industrial development. Fish and fishing will remain the primary industry. Fish farming will continue to grow, and tourism and travel have great development potential. The developments in these industries, together with stable and predictable petroleum activities in the Barents Sea convince me that Finnmark and the rest of North Norway will move out of stagnation to development and growth. The changes in the coastal communities have shown that fishing alone is not enough to keep them alive. International cooperation The Norwegian authorities, in dialogue with those from other countries, face the large and important challenge of removing conflicts, not least in the fishing and petroleum industries. The Russian authorities have first place in this dialogue, naturally enough, but it is important that no conflicts arise in relation to overfishing by all countries. There has been a tendency in recent years for dispute levels to rise, and we cannot afford to have continual conflicts in this area. It is my belief that our social dealings with Russian people from all areas will produce unsuspected opportunities for us in the north. North Norway will steadily become an increasingly international society, and we live in interesting times. Natural gas, also called dry gas, consists of 60-95% methane (CH4). Methane gas is produced mainly by bacteria as an end product of the breakdown of organic matter, but is also formed in the same way as oil when organic matter (dead plants and animals) is subjected to enormous pressure without an oxygen supply over a long period of time (several million years). Natural gas is a non-renewable resource. Besides methane, natural gas also includes occurrences of so-called “wet” gases, such as ethane, propane, butane and isobutane. Gas contains more hydrogen than oil, in addition to very small occurrences of sulphur and heavy metals. The untreated gas which comes from the gas fields is called rich gas and is a mixture of wet gas and dry gas. LNG (LIQUIFIED NATURAL GAS) Gas extracted from the Snøhvit (Snow White), Askeladd and Albatross fields is transported to the landbased plant on Melkøya Island off Hammerfest. Here the different types of gas are separated from one another and the natural gas is cooled down to liquid form (LNG) at a temperature of approximately –160°C. In liquid form its volume is 600 times smaller than it is in gas form. Melkøya Island now has Europe’s first export facility for LNG. After being cooled down the liquid gas is transported into the world by ship, in cooled tanks under atmospheric pressure. LNG technology enables the gas to be carried using smaller vessels and thus distributed to places which are too small to justify the extension of pipelines. LPG (Liquified Petroleum Gas) When the natural gas is extracted from the gas fields small amounts of propane and butane are mixed in with it. These gases are then separated out and cooled down in the same way as the natural gas but are called LPG. LPG can be transported round the world and sold in the same way as LNG. 37 By Harald Larsen and Bernt-Aksel Jensen, East Finnmark Regional Council EMERGENCIES versus IMAGINATION No matter how good one’s preparations, reality often exceeds one’s imagination, as experiences with oil spills and environmental problems show. Nevertheless the world accepts not only this risk but also that accidents, with their subsequent negative consequences, happens. But do we actually have any choice? 38 These slight philosophical musings bubbling to the surface could be compared with a small oil spill. It spreads quickly and lies on the surface of the water, fully visible for a while. Then it is broken down by environmental factors and after a time it can barely be seen. So it is also with the thoughts behind the question of making sure that there are adequate emergency resources for preventing oil spill. Fierce debates take place from time to time involving scenarios that would put the fear of God into the devil himself, as one might say – and then they sink out of sight for ages afterwards. Imagination is too small What kinds of resources are needed to cope with the Barents Sea? Who can guarantee that the emergency resources will be so good that there will be no negative consequences if an accident happens? The world is crying out for petroleum to produce energy. The resources are there. They will be tracked down, whether they lie several thousand metres under the sea, or just beneath the earth’s surface. The petroleum industry involves the risk of accident and pollution, in the same way that every other human activity on earth involves risk, not to forget the earth’s own activity, such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. So we are surrounded by differing degrees of risk, whatever we do. This is the perspective from which we must view the question of combating oil spill in the Barents Sea. The big national emergency exercise held in Finnmark in autumn 2005, “Barents Rescue”, uncovered defects in several elements of our emergency provision. New aspects emerged that no one had thought of. It is always the way. That is why we say that reality will outstrip imagination when it comes to the possible results and consequences of an accident. We can never be prepared for everything – and we accept this! First threatened, then saved The development of petroleum activities in the northern areas is in full swing, both on shore and at sea. All phases are underway, from surveying, test drilling and extraction to conclusion. Finnmark is squeezed between activities in the North Sea on the one side and Russia on the other. The most important point is that extraction is taking place within the framework of ever stricter safety and environmental requirements. At the same time the consequences of an accident are reckoned to be so dangerous that large resources have been set aside to prevent not only accidents but their effects. During all this the local communities in East Finnmark are watching as developments come closer and closer. The term the northern area has acquired new meaning and is attracting interest from all over the Dead Brünnich’s guillemot (Uria lomvia). Thousands of seabirds died after an oil spill in the Varanger Fjord in 1979. The oil spill happened at the worst thinkable time, when many seabirds were assembled at a small area. ©Bjørn Frantzen, Bioforsk Svanhovd world. Finnmark’s reputation is changing from that of a national fishing county to one of the world’s most important petroleum areas. Politicians in East Finnmark are looking forward to activities increasing and welcome them on several grounds. The influence and dominance of the fishing industry has become much reduced during the last few decades. If communities are to continue to exist, they must have something to live on. Building up new industry is difficult, but here comes the petroleum industry, sailing towards the coast like an oil slick. The threat that the fishing communities saw the oil industry as, will now be their salvation. With this as background, the political leaders have realised that if this industry is to acquire legitimacy with the coastal population, emergency resources and safety must be assured, so the chairmen of the coastal councils have become eager spokesmen for petroleum operations – and simultaneously standard bearers for improved oil spill combat precautions on the coast. From local to international network As leader of the council’s crisis management team, the chairman has an important role to play. A role focused on enabling people to live on an unbelievably long and twisting coastline. Collaboration is currently being formalised between several coastal councils in East Finnmark where resources to combat oil spill are now being worked out. This collaboration will extend over council, county and national boundaries into the councils and counties of northwest Russia. The main view is that councils are not content with the emergency resources available. Levels of both knowledge and equipment vary from council to council, and in order to change this several new measures have been introduced. One of these is a proposal for better physical security. As part of the county council’s petroleum strategy, East Finnmark regional council proposes establishing a large regional emergency centre in the east of the county. This will be in addition to the existing local emergency provision. The requirements are based on coordinating resources for everything from traffic monitoring and tugboat capacity to emergency equipment and available manpower. The council also wants to set up a network with different organisations to focus on the risks involved in increased petroleum operations. Looking further ahead this might form part of an international network of coastal communities and national states that face a common challenge, namely establishing the best possible emergency provision to cope with accidents, followed by routines to minimalise the negative effects if an accident should occur. Fish and oil in the same boat Taken as a whole, what is wanted is a change which results in there being better equipment on shore to deal with an oil spill near to a local water source, an accident involving tankers going to and from Russia, and suitable resources for the different phases in the construction of an oilfield. For very many of Finnmark’s fishing areas the time has come to recognise that it is no longer possible to sustain the community by fishing alone. Fish is now a global commodity. Finnmark’s advantages with regard to fish are no longer what they were, which means that the coastal communities must make use of the other commodities that they have available. The fishing communities of Finnmark extend a warm welcome to the oil industry. Fish and oil are literally in the same boat – together with improved resources to combat oil spill! 39 PUBLISHED BY THE SUPPORT OF: Bioforsk Soil and Environment, Svanhovd N - 9925 Svanvik Phone: +47 78 97 36 00 Fax: +47 78 97 36 01 E-mail: [email protected] www.bioforsk.no/svanhovd ©Ragnar Våga Pedersen