Norwegian/Russian cooperation in the Barents Sea

Norway and Russia will this month begin a joint mapping of undiscovered natural resources in the Barents Sea and around the Norwegian Arctic archipelago of Svalbard, DN Energi reports.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD), the University of Oslo (UiO) and the Russian Geological Institute (GIN RAS) will participate in the charting mission.

In this connection, the UiO has awarded a contract to the Russian research vessel Akademik Nikolay Strakhov which will carry out most of the geological survey for oil and gas as well as general research and mapping.

NPD research director Sissel Eriksen says to DN Energi that DPN has cooperated with Russia for some time, and that this latest agreement is a continuation of this cooperation.

She underlines that the main task now is charting the area, and not to explore for oil and gas.

NPD has earlier estimated that two thirds of Norway’s undiscovered resources are to be found in the northern regions.

Source: Norway Post