Khloponin's spokesman, Natalia Platonova, declined to comment on the letter, but said that in July the deputy prime minister reported to the president about the need to build seismic survey vessels in Russia. “As a result of this meeting, an instruction was given to organize such work. We are talking about raising funds for the implementation of the project, which are already included in the budgets of the relevant departments,” she said. Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov did not respond to a request.

Khloponin proposes to entrust the design and construction of new vessels for seismic surveys to a consortium of companies, which will include the United Construction Corporation (USC, it is planned to place orders at its facilities), the Okeanpribor state concern (which will provide vessels with Russian equipment) and Rosgeo, which owns more than 90% of the existing of the Russian seismic fleet - ten vessels, of which only two are adapted to perform work in 3D format.

The construction financing model is currently being worked out, Roman Panov, director general of Rosgeologiya, confirmed to RBC. But he did not specify how the necessary 15 billion rubles. will be distributed between the budget and borrowed funds: Khloponin proposed to raise part of the funds from extrabudgetary sources, including using RDIF financial instruments. “Financing of this project is considered on the principles of public-private partnership. Its sources can be Rosgeologia’s own and borrowed funds, as well as partially earmarked funds from the federal budget,” added Anton Sergeev, representative of Rosgeologiya.

The Ministry of Natural Resources recommended that Rosnedra consider financing this project by redistributing funds from the budget for the reproduction of the mineral resource base, as Khloponin suggested, his spokesman Nikolai Gudkov said. In 2015-2016, Rosgeo was appointed the sole executor of the state order for geological exploration by decision of the government. But since 2017, it has been deprived of this right, and such work will again be distributed by Rosnedra and the Ministry of Natural Resources at tenders among specialized companies. Budget funding for exploration work in 2017 will be reduced by 5% compared to the current year (33 billion rubles), the minister told reporters natural resources Sergei Donskoy in September.

But Rosnedra opposed the redistribution of budgetary funds. The activities of the state program "Reproduction of the mineral resource base" do not provide for the allocation of funds for the construction of ships, according to a letter from the deputy head of the department, Sergei Aksenov, to the Ministry of Natural Resources dated July 22 (RBC has a copy). ​The redistribution of funds allocated for exploration will lead to “failure to meet the targets and failure to achieve the goal of the subprogram on sustainable provision of the country's economy with mineral reserves and geological information about the subsoil,” Aksyonov concludes.

The Deputy Head of Rosnedra proposes to build seismic exploration vessels exclusively at the expense of extra-budgetary funds, including with the involvement of offshore license holders interested in attracting such vessels. In Russia, only two companies, Rosneft and Gazprom, have the right to extract oil on the Arctic shelf. Rosneft has its own Zvezda shipyard (financed by the company's main shareholder, Rosneftegaz), where several ships are already being built, its spokesman Mikhail Leontyev said. According to him, the company has its own agreed investments in exploration and shipbuilding, it has not received any recommendations from Rosnedra regarding participation in the financing of two seismic survey vessels. A spokesman for Gazprom did not respond to a request.

A source in the Ministry of Natural Resources confirmed that the construction of such vessels is a non-core expenditure item for exploration. Platonova said that the consortium should prepare a business model for the construction of two vessels, which is planned to be discussed at a meeting before the end of October. Ilya Zhitomirsky, director of the information policy and corporate communications department at USC, said that the corporation would not take part in financing the project - it was only ready to build ships. The representative of Okeanpribor did not respond to a request from RBC. An RDIF official declined to comment.

Encumbranced licenses

The economic efficiency of the construction and operation of seismic survey vessels is achieved with a steady supply of orders from companies operating on the shelf, according to Khloponin's letter, that is, the same Rosneft and Gazprom. He recalls that similar conditions apply in countries with a developed offshore field development system, such as the United States, China and Norway. Therefore, he suggested that Putin instruct the government, when updating the licenses of these companies starting from 2019, to oblige them to purchase offshore seismic services from Russian state-owned companies (the state’s share is more than 50%) that have at least five years of experience in offshore zones, “with equal competitive conditions for the provision of similar services and works. Only Rosgeologiya and Zarubezhneft fall under these criteria. Zarubezhneft has a profile subsidiary for service work on the shelf Arktikmorneftegazrazvedka, but in its arsenal there is only a drilling fleet, not a seismic survey fleet, according to the company's website.

The inclusion of such a condition in the licenses, according to the Law on Protection of Competition, is an action that leads or may lead to restriction of competition, Aksenov from Rosnedra wrote to the Ministry of Natural Resources. At the same time, on the recommendation of the Security Council, a priority has already been provided for attracting Russian contractors, taking into account their competitiveness, other things being equal, the price and quality of work, he recalls.

"Rosgeologiya" should not be considered a competent enough performer of work to conduct seismic exploration on the Arctic shelf, Leontiev told RBC. In his opinion, the company acts as an intermediary to attract the services of other contractors. He agrees with the Rosnedra official that such a clause in licenses could lead to a restriction of competition in the market. Rosneft now has the largest volume of seismic exploration on the Russian shelf, and the company would like to retain the right to attract contractors that suit it in terms of price and quality of work, he added.

The FAS representative told RBC that information about Khloponin's initiatives in the field of seismic exploration has not yet been received by the agency. He did not comment on the issue of potential restriction of competition.

A seismic vessel passes the Suez Canal.

I didn’t think, I didn’t guess, but I had a chance to visit a seismic vessel and slightly lift the veil over what and how they do. All the same, this area remained terra incognita for me, but I learned something (according to seismology, I can be wrong in the details, please don’t hit hard, but correct if anyone is in the subject).

Initially, dynamite served as a sound source for marine seismic surveys. In view of its obvious danger, later pneumatic guns were used as a source.

The accumulation of seismic data is the mapping of underwater structure in the constant search for hydrocarbons.
At first, the shape of the data was two-dimensional. The data were obtained using a single hose seismic streamer (or simply - a streamer, it is also a streamer, from the English "streamer") and one signal source.

Later, a new method for 3D mapping was developed. To do this, they strive to install as many streamers as possible, to cover a large area, as much as possible. The vessel under consideration "Vyacheslav Tikhonov" has 8 streamers for data acquisition (this is not the maximum number, there are vessels with a large number of streamers).

The data acquisition method can be compared to a very large echo sounder. The sound signal is sent by the air gun down to the seabed, and then the towed cable picks up the echoes, which are recorded.

It looks like a ship with released seismic equipment.

The length of one streamer on the ship "Vyacheslav Tikhonov" is 6,000 meters long (precisely meters, not cable and other marine units).
Putting the braids into working condition and their selection at the end of the measurements is not a quick matter, it takes several days. At the same time, as during measurements, the vessel must follow a strictly defined course at a fixed speed (in this mode, the operating speed is about 5 knots). Because it is quite difficult and tiring for a person to maintain such a clear course and speed, the ship has a dynamic positioning (DP) system that allows you to perform this task automatically. Navigators mainly monitor the navigation situation, establish communication with ships to ensure safe divergence, etc. The turning radius in survey mode is a few miles to keep the streamers from getting tangled up. The ship's heading command is given from the seismological laboratory on the ship.

Also, to ensure safe separation from other vessels, to prevent damage to towed streamers (by the way, the cost of one streamer with all the equipment is about $ 2 million) and other auxiliary tasks, two tracking vessels (in English - chase boats). There is also one support vessel for the delivery of supplies and crew, for bunkering and other support tasks. In order to successfully fulfill these tasks, the research vessel must maintain reliable and constant communication with the tracking vessels, inform them in a timely manner of its plans.

As mentioned above, turning in the survey mode is quite a challenge. With a distance between the outer streamers of 800 meters, the turning radius must be a minimum of 4,000 meters, increasing in bad weather to 5,000 meters. When turning with a radius of 5 km, the rate of turn should be 3 degrees per minute. It should be noted that the trajectory of the turn is strongly influenced by weather conditions and the state of the sea. When turning, navigators are guided by the position of paravanes - towed streamer diverters.

On the right in the photo you can see the diverter (baravan, paravane), in the first photo it can be seen fixed on board.

In the survey mode, it is necessary to watch for other vessels and ask them to leave the area, not only because of the threat of a collision or damage to the streamers. With the close passage of another vessel, especially a large one, the quality of measurements is lost, because the integrity of the sound source is violated. Therefore, if it is not possible to reach an agreement with another vessel for any reason regarding the separation at a large distance, then it is advisable to disperse closer and faster. Because measurements will still be violated, and it is necessary to minimize contact time in order to save time for measurements.
It was noted that when passing offshore terminals where large tankers with a dynamic positioning system are loaded, even at a distance of 12 miles, the measurements will be actually destroyed, and you will have to make a second call when the tanker moves away from the berth.

If there is another seismological vessel in the area, then its operation may affect the operation of our vessel at a distance of about 80 miles. Therefore, in such cases, in order not to interfere with each other's work, they agree on a measurement schedule. For example, there were cases when 8 vessels were operating simultaneously in the North Sea.

According to project developer Ulstein, the hull shape patented as the Ulstein X-Bow, together with a diesel-electric propulsion system, provides exceptional efficiency in terms of fuel consumption, seaworthiness and speed. However, despite the commercial on youtube (comparative race of two boats in stormy conditions), the application of the concept here does not seem entirely justified. I proceed from a purely practical assessment and my vision, purely IMHO. Namely: my very meager knowledge of hull hydrodynamics tells me that the contours will work at speeds close to full, but in any way above average. The operating speed of this vessel in the measurement mode (the main purpose of the vessel) is 4-5 knots.
During my presence on board, at a speed of 4.5 knots, it swayed rather unpleasantly up to 5 degrees of heel, with very light seas and a wind of 7 m / s. The crew said that when working in the profile (taking measurements), with the equipment overboard, the wave hit the nose from below with the nose thrown up, with all the "ensuing" consequences for the least sea-resistant crew members.

The rowing plant includes two controllable pitch propellers (CPP). Each propeller is driven by a 4,800 kW asynchronous motor controlled by a water-cooled frequency converter. The transmission of rotation to the screw is carried out through a gearbox.

The vessel is equipped with bow and stern tunnel thrusters, as well as a retractable azimuth thruster (Compass Thruster) in the bow.

Vessel length 84 m, beam 17 m, maximum draft 6 m. Deadweight at maximum draft is 2,250 tons.
According to the specification, the ship's speed at 100% load on each screw, with a clean hull and calm water, should be approximately 18.5 knots.

The support vessel performs a rendezvous maneuver.

A support vessel is moored for bunkering operations while under way.

As soon as I choose a free minute to sort out the photos, I will make a photo tour of the ship.

Note. These photographs were obtained from the crew.

DNV, in consultation with leading companies such as WesternGeco, PGS and Fugro-Geoteam, has developed a new seismic vessel classification. The basis of the new technical requirements was the need to allocate space for standby equipment and appropriate placement of equipment on deck to ensure continuous operation without loss of speed. Seismic vessels use advanced computer technology to locate resources beneath the seabed and are a key link in the chain leading to subsequent offshore development. According to DNV, any delays in the movement of the vessel can complicate the processing of seismic data. It is extremely important to achieve the continuity of work, which allows to exclude any technological downtime. Given the high cost of seismic streamers used at sea, an unexpected loss of speed can lead to serious consequences, such as cable damage, which can disrupt seismic operations.

The new requirements are related to the increased availability of vessels during important stages of seismic work. DNV consulted not only with vessel owners, but also with suppliers of seismic and high-pressure equipment, in order to take into account all issues that may arise in the present and future.

Maintaining tractive power is a key issue. That is why the DNV classification is based on the reservation of one stage of propulsion power, so that any breakdown on board does not lead to a loss of more than 50% of reliability. This is enough to maintain a minimum speed of several knots and protect the expensive underwater guns and streamers used.

Typically, seismic vessels operate continuously for many months without calling at a port. The classification requires equipment to be located on deck in such a way as to facilitate its transportation to the crew and to allow replacement from the supply vessel. In addition, the new classification establishes requirements for the placement of the captain's bridge in order to ensure good review streamers and any lifeboats approaching during the normal operation of the vessel. This classification also takes into account high pressure systems to ensure the safe operation of the crew on deck.

The new classification was published this summer and strengthened DNV's position in the seismic vessel classification market as the industry focuses on deep sea exploration. Jan Kvålsvold, director of market expansion and business development, said: “DNV has a large share of this market. Almost every second vessel has a DNV classification. The introduction of the new classification will allow owners operating in this high-tech segment of specialized vessels to meet future needs with maximum safety and reliability.”

Seismic survey vessels, the construction of which at domestic shipyards was approved by President Vladimir Putin, will be designed with the involvement of foreign designers, since Russian experience in this matter is insufficient. Sergey Suchkov, Deputy CEO, Managing Director of PJSC "Rosgeologiya" at the forum "Arctic: from forecasts to development", which was held in Moscow.

Earlier it was reported that President Vladimir Putin approved the construction in Russia of two vessels for seismic exploration on the Arctic shelf for 15 billion rubles. through the budget.

“In the current conditions of the sanctions regime the Russian Federation in general, it is able to provide itself with the full implementation of the volume of seismic work in 2D format due to the existing fleet and equipment in the period up to 2018, ”said in a letter from Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Khloponin (who oversees issues related to mining), sent on July 12 to President Vladimir Putin.

In the 3D seismic segment, the situation is “more critical,” he warns: existing capacities can provide no more than 20% of the market. In addition, the average age of the ships is 28 years, the wear and tear of the scientific fleet exceeds 80%.

“3-D seismic exploration in Russia is completely dependent on foreign companies, because the domestic fleet is too weak,” Sergey Suchukov said at the Arctic: From Forecasts to Development forum. – The fleet of seismic exploration that exists in Russia today consists of only two vessels. One is located at the Sovcomflot company, this is the Vyacheslav Tikhonov, equipped with eight streamers. This is not enough, the technology can already be considered backward, especially for extremely limited periods of work in the North. large area reconnaissance is difficult to carry out on this ship in the short season that researchers have at their disposal in the Arctic. Next, there is another 3-D seismic survey vessel. This is "Academician Nemchinov", which is on the balance sheet of "Rosgeologia", and which has only four braids. Such a vessel can only carry out small volumes of seismic surveys.”

In 2005–2015, 3D seismic surveys were carried out in Russia on only 70,000 sq. m. km, which is 1.2% of the territory of the continental shelf of Russia. To carry out the “required volume” of 3D seismic surveys, the Deputy Prime Minister proposes to put into operation at least two Arctic-class vessels “with predominantly domestic navigation and seismic equipment” in 2019.

“Seismic exploration carried out by foreign vessels is contrary to the principle of ensuring safety, because it is a leak of data about the Russian shelf during work,” Sergey Suchkov added.

The construction of a modern vessel for 3D seismic exploration will cost about $200 million (12.5 billion rubles at the current exchange rate), Yury Ampilov, professor of the Moscow State University Department of Seismometry and Geoacoustics, said in an interview with RBC. Due to the crisis in the world, 70% of such ships are not used, half of which were built recently. Each such vessel could be bought for about $50 million, which is four times cheaper than building a new one, he points out. But due to international sanctions, now Russia cannot buy ships equipped with specialized seismic equipment.

sea ​​vessel "Ramform Sterling" the newest creation of shipbuilders

Before you start drilling an oil well or extracting gas under the water column, you need to find their deposits and conduct a thorough analysis of the area to determine the quantity and quality of resources. There are several ways of technical exploration of deposits of "black gold" and "blue fuel" valuable for mankind. One of the methods of reconnaissance is a method called seismological reconnaissance, the implementation of which is possible thanks to seismic reconnaissance vessels. . Sea vessels field exploration has become widespread due to the ever-increasing demand for minerals. Special sea ​​vessels are operated to collect underwater seismic data that provides a detailed study of the area under observation.$CUT$

Marine reconnaissance is carried out on the surface area, which averages 1500 square meters. km. After the analysis is completed, drilling begins in the area.

Perhaps the most popular ships for underwater exploration of deposits have become sea ​​vessels, developed for the oil drilling and gas industry, called " Ramform". These, in addition to an unusual and amazing design, have a lot of effective advantages. characteristic feature is the minimum noise that the ship emits. This allows you to conduct research with a clearer chart and carefully monitor the movements of the layers of the earth's crust. wide stern sea ​​vessels seismic survey provides an extremely stable and secure platform on which virtually all geophysical equipment is concentrated. From the back of the case special vessel on average, about 10 streamers are stretched over a distance of up to 9500 meters. The ship continues to tow them at a certain speed. While driving sea ​​vessel does not make sharp shocks, and due to the design of the hull, rolling at sea is reduced, which also affects the accuracy of data acquisition. Streamers are released into the water, unwinding from huge winches in a certain sequence; in the sea they must be at a certain distance from each other. There are about 24,000 microphones on the streamers. sea ​​vessel registers the sound vibrations received from them. The received data is processed on special equipment and displayed on monitors in two or three dimensions and received the corresponding category of 2D and HD3D. Such a method maritime intelligence and technology allows you to confirm the presence of minerals in an oil or gas field.

Sea vessels of the Ramform type of the first generation

this is how exploration works

streamer towing

Marine company Petroleum Geo Services” (“PGS”) is a leader in the field of industrial intelligence. During the year, its specialists examine more than 5,000 square meters. km mainly in the North Sea off the coast of Norway. Company " PGS» proud of his six sea ​​vessels type " Ramform", and in addition to them has four more classic seismic vessel.

Series of six sea ​​vessels for seismic exploration built at the shipyards "". They are designed to tow 8 to 20 streamers. On board special sea ​​vessels installed high-tech equipment for offshore exploration of deposits.

sea ​​vessel "Ramform Explorer"

seismic vessel "Ramform Explorer" launched in 1995. It was the first in history Ramform". The marine vessel allows towing up to 8 streamers with a thickness of 70 mm each, and provides survey of the area up to 1000 sq. m. Navigation equipment includes autopilot, gyrocompass, radar.

Technical data of the Ramform Explorer seismic survey vessel:
Length - 82 m;
Width - 39 m;
Draft - 6m;
Displacement - 9874 tons;
Bergen»;
Speed ​​- 12 knots;
Crew - 46 people;

sea ​​vessel "Ramform Challenger"

Then a ship was built Ramform Challenger» in 1996. This sea ​​transport allows you to explore for 38 days 2000 sq. km., which is twice the capacity of its predecessor. sea ​​vessel equipped with two Azipod propulsion units and can tow up to 16 stretch marks up to 4 kilometers long.

Technical data of the Ramform Challenger seismic survey vessel:
Length - 86 m;
Width - 39.2 m;
Draft - 7.3 m;
Displacement - 9700 tons;
Crew - 60 people;
Speed ​​- 14 knots;

sea ​​vessels of the type Ramform Valiant" second generation

triangular shape sea ​​vessel « Ramform Valiant» people saw in 1998. This outstanding ship set a world record for the exploration of the sea surface, which has not yet been broken. In 1998 in one day sea ​​vessel seismic exploration " Ramform Valiant» received data from 111 sq. kilometers.

sea ​​vessel "Ramform Victory"

"Ramform Viking" at the pier

In 1998, the water was launched sea ​​vessel« Ramform Viking». In 1999 - " Ramform Victory". These are absolutely identical ships in size and capabilities. Each of them allows you to tow up to 16 streamers, and the resulting processed data appears on monitor screens in HD3D format. Intelligence sea ​​vessels constantly working in any weather conditions Northern regions, where there are large accumulations of oil and gas. In one day, research is carried out on 72 square meters. km of sea surface.

exploration vessel "Ramform Sovereign"

The latest in a series of first and second generation reconnaissance sea ​​vessels became " Ramform Sovereign". Company " PGS” received the ship in 2005. The company's equipment Kongsberg».

aft part of the sea vessel "RAMFORM"

Technical data of the Ramform Sovereign seismic survey vessel:
Length - 102 m;
Width - 40 m;
Draft - 7.3 m;
Displacement - 15086 tons;
Marine power plant - diesel engine Bergen»;
Speed ​​- 16 knots;
Crew - 70 people;

third generation RAMFORM VANGUARD type seagoing vessels

In the same year, the company Petroleum Geo Services» announced the construction of the third generation sea ​​vessels. They have a completely different class of technical equipment. sea ​​vessel« Ramform Vangourd"was launched in 2008. The same V-shaped hull remained, as it provides stability to the ship. sea ​​vessel got 22 stretch marks and more latest equipment for exploration of deposits. Transport is set in motion thanks to three Azipod engines, each with a capacity of 3808 hp. s., in addition, there is a small power plant on board the ship, which generates 11 MW and does not need frequent maintenance. This electricity is enough to operate all reconnaissance equipment, as well as an electric motor, deck crane, winch and ship lighting.

The engine is controlled by a dynamic positioning system. On board the ship there is a sounder, an echo sounder, a gyrocompass and a radar station operating in various ranges, several types of antennas, satellite communications " Inmarsat». sea ​​vessel fully automated, providing a great opportunity for engineers to work. Significantly reduced noise, which allowed to increase the accuracy of the received data and become a leader in the competition.

exploration vessel "Ramform Viking"

Technical data of the Ramform Vangourd seismic survey vessel:
Length - 102 m;
Width - 40 m;
Draft - 7.4 m;
Displacement - 16,000 tons;
Ship power plant - diesel-electric engine "" with a capacity of 29920 liters. with.;
Crew - 70 people;

Developing marine geophysical company " Polarcus» decided to build two reconnaissance sea ​​vessels type " SX133". These sea ​​vessels will be equipped with a full set of equipment for seismic exploration. Their construction should be completed in the third quarter of 2009 at a shipyard in Dubai.

On the sea ​​vessels uses a new data processing algorithm using HD4D technology. This analysis program is developed on the basis of " Microsoft Windows” and is designed for editing intelligence data, correcting it, analyzing and providing images that are used by geologists, engineers involved in the evaluation and development of oil and gas fields. Significant upgrades will be made to improve the performance of the offshore equipment. The sea vessel will become a key one in the implementation of the company's strategic program " PGS».

Oil company clients demand accurate imaging and manufacturing research. The HD3D strategy meets these requirements. The speed of data processing will increase by 8 times. For this method to be effective, more streamers are needed. third generation sea ​​vessels has such an opportunity in his arsenal. are an important step in the renewal of seismic survey vessels. In this area, they cannot boast of sufficient funding in recent years. Therefore, engineers are forced to use what is already there and upgrade. PGS assures that sea ​​vessels will be the largest and most expensive in the history of seismic exploration. The vessel will tow up to 26 streamers on an area of ​​95,000 sq. m.

Revolutionary platform « Ramform» is one example of how an innovative idea has become a necessity in the oil and gas industry. seismological make it possible to directly increase the production of "black gold" and "blue fuel" up to 60 percent, as well as to improve the production of oil and gas from already developed fields.