China Arctic/Antarctic Science, Technology and Industry: News & Discussions

[TaiShang]

China's 35th Antarctic expedition team enters Dome A area

(Xinhua) 07:34, January 04, 2019



A vehicle of China's 35th Antarctic expedition team runs on Antarctica's inland icecap, Jan. 2, 2019. The expedition team Wednesday entered the area of the Dome Argus (Dome A), the peak of Antarctica's inland icecap. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)



A vehicle of China's 35th Antarctic expedition team runs on Antarctica's inland icecap, Jan. 2, 2019. The expedition team Wednesday entered the area of the Dome Argus (Dome A), the peak of Antarctica's inland icecap. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)



Vehicles of China's 35th Antarctic expedition team run on Antarctica's inland icecap, Jan. 2, 2019. The expedition team Wednesday entered the area of the Dome Argus (Dome A), the peak of Antarctica's inland icecap. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

China's 35th Antarctic expedition team camps at a site about 1,100 km away from China's Zhongshan Station, Jan. 2, 2019. The expedition team Wednesday entered the area of the Dome Argus (Dome A), the peak of Antarctica's inland icecap. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/0104/c90000-9534477-4.html

 

[JSCh]

Kunlun team of China's 35th Antarctic expedition arrives at Kunlun Station
Source: Xinhua| 2019-01-05 22:31:00|Editor: Liangyu

In this aerial photo taken on Jan. 4, 2019, vehicles of the Kunlun team arrive at Kunlun Station in Antarctica. The 16 members on the Kunlun team of China's 35th Antarctic expedition arrived at Kunlun Station on Friday. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

 

[TaiShang]

China's fixed-wing aircraft for polar flight lands at Kunlun Station

(Xinhua) 13:39, January 19, 2019



China's first fixed-wing aircraft for polar flight Snow Eagle 601 lands at the Kunlun Station at about 4,000 meters above the sea level near Dome A, Jan. 18, 2019. Snow Eagle 601 landed successfully at the airport of Kunlun Station on Friday, the third time the aircraft landed successfully in the airport since its use. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)



China's first fixed-wing aircraft for polar flight Snow Eagle 601 lands at the Kunlun Station at about 4,000 meters above the sea level near Dome A, Jan. 18, 2019. Snow Eagle 601 landed successfully at the airport of Kunlun Station on Friday, the third time the aircraft landed successfully in the airport since its use. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)



Members of China's 35th Antarctic expedition team level the runway of the airport at the Kunlun Station at about 4,000 meters above the sea level near Dome A, Jan. 17, 2019. Snow Eagle 601 landed successfully at the airport of Kunlun Station on Friday, the third time the aircraft landed successfully in the airport since its use. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)



China's first fixed-wing aircraft for polar flight Snow Eagle 601 flies over the sky above the Kunlun Station at about 4,000 meters above the sea level near Dome A, Jan. 18, 2019. Snow Eagle 601 landed successfully at the airport of Kunlun Station on Friday, the third time the aircraft landed successfully in the airport since its use. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

China's first fixed-wing aircraft for polar flight Snow Eagle 601 takes off at the Kunlun Station at about 4,000 meters above the sea level near Dome A, Jan. 18, 2019. Snow Eagle 601 landed successfully at the airport of Kunlun Station on Friday, the third time the aircraft landed successfully in the airport since its use. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

http://en.people.cn/n3/2019/0119/c90000-9539446-5.html

 

[JSCh]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1087598674010464256

People's Daily, China✔@PDChina
China's research icebreaker Xuelong on Jan 19 collided with an iceberg in Antarctica due to heavy fog, leaving some 250 tonnes of ice and snow packed on its deck. Nobody on board was injured and the ship is reportedly in normal operation.
23
2:31 PM - Jan 22, 2019

 

[JSCh]

 

[JSCh]

China's expedition team installs new meteorological station on Antarctic ice sheet
Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-08 21:52:36|Editor: zh

ANTARCTICA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's 35th Antarctic expedition team on Thursday set up a new automatic meteorological station, some 100 km away from the Zhongshan Station, a Chinese research base in Antarctica.

The devices will be used to collect information on temperature, relative humidity as well as wind direction and speed in Antarctica.

The newly installed station will fill up the blank research area for meteorological observation along the Panda transect and improve China's observation capability in the area, said Meng Shang, a member of the expedition team.

The Panda transect refers to a research route from Prydz Bay to the Amery Ice Shelf and then to Dome Argus (Dome A).

China has set up several meteorological stations at Kunlun Station and Taishan Station on the Antarctic ice sheet. It is expected to install more meteorological stations along the Panda transect to collect substantial data to improve China's weather forecasting and research on the continent.

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[JSCh]

New radar system installed at Chinese research base in Antarctica
Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 19:37:14|Editor: ZX

ABOARD XUELONG, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have installed and tested a fluorescence Doppler lidar system at a research base in Antarctica during a mission that was just concluded last week and are now heading home.

The system run at Zhongshan Station had enabled them to simultaneously observe the temperature and the three-dimensional wind field in the atmospheric region mesopause above Antarctica, exploring the middle and upper atmosphere of the polar cusp region.

"The lidar system allows a round-the-clock observation in fine weather with no blockage of large clouds," said Huang Wentao, head of the project and a member of China's 35th research mission in Antarctica.

The mission members are currently on board of the Chinese icebreaker Xuelong on the voyage back home.

"During the over-winter expedition, we will conduct an operational observation of lidar to obtain first-hand data of the temperature and wind field in the middle and upper atmosphere of the polar cusp region," said Huang, a researcher with the Polar Research Institute of China.

The polar circle is among the best places to observe the space environment and weather above Earth. Zhongshan's longitude and latitude are just ideal for conducting atmospheric physical research, said Huang.

"The middle and upper atmosphere above Antarctica is where one can see most of the local noctilucent clouds and the ozonosphere hole," Huang said.

The lidar system at Zhongshan will contribute to "the research on the impact of solar winds on the Earth's atmosphere and the global atmospheric circulation interaction, among other things," Huang said.

Little is still known about the Earth's middle and upper atmosphere, the researcher said.

 

[JSCh]

New radar system installed at Chinese research base in Antarctica
Source: Xinhua| 2019-02-20 19:37:14|Editor: ZX

ABOARD XUELONG, Feb. 20 (Xinhua) -- Chinese researchers have installed and tested a fluorescence Doppler lidar system at a research base in Antarctica during a mission that was just concluded last week and are now heading home.

The system run at Zhongshan Station had enabled them to simultaneously observe the temperature and the three-dimensional wind field in the atmospheric region mesopause above Antarctica, exploring the middle and upper atmosphere of the polar cusp region.

"The lidar system allows a round-the-clock observation in fine weather with no blockage of large clouds," said Huang Wentao, head of the project and a member of China's 35th research mission in Antarctica.

The mission members are currently on board of the Chinese icebreaker Xuelong on the voyage back home.

"During the over-winter expedition, we will conduct an operational observation of lidar to obtain first-hand data of the temperature and wind field in the middle and upper atmosphere of the polar cusp region," said Huang, a researcher with the Polar Research Institute of China.

The polar circle is among the best places to observe the space environment and weather above Earth. Zhongshan's longitude and latitude are just ideal for conducting atmospheric physical research, said Huang.

"The middle and upper atmosphere above Antarctica is where one can see most of the local noctilucent clouds and the ozonosphere hole," Huang said.

The lidar system at Zhongshan will contribute to "the research on the impact of solar winds on the Earth's atmosphere and the global atmospheric circulation interaction, among other things," Huang said.

Little is still known about the Earth's middle and upper atmosphere, the researcher said.

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Photo taken on Feb. 11, 2019 shows the cabin of a fluorescence Doppler lidar system at the Zhongshan Station, a Chinese research base in Antarctica. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

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A member of China's 35th research mission in Antarctica adjusts a fluorescence Doppler lidar system at the Zhongshan Station, a Chinese research base in Antarctica, Feb. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

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Huang Wentao, head of a fluorescence Doppler lidar system installation project and a member of China's 35th research mission in Antarctica, adjusts equipments at the Zhongshan Station, a Chinese research base in Antarctica, Feb. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

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Members of China's 35th research mission in Antarctica check data of a fluorescence Doppler lidar system at the Zhongshan Station, a Chinese research base in Antarctica, Feb. 11, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Shiping)

 

[JSCh]

NEWS * 05 MARCH 2019
Chinese crew extract first rock from beneath East Antarctic ice in 60 years | Nature
The experiment is a test for a plan to extract rock from a buried mountain range.

Alexandra Witze

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Cargo being unloaded from the Xuelong near China's Zhongshan station in Antarctica.Credit: Liu Shiping/Xinhua/Alamy Live News

A collision with a rogue iceberg earlier this year jeopardized several experiments dependent on China’s most recent Antarctic voyage — including an effort to drill through almost 200 metres of ice to collect a sample of the underlying bedrock. The work was an early test of an ambitious plan to extract rock from an enormous mountain range that is buried beneath a kilometre or more of ice. The project yielded the first rock core collected from beneath East Antarctica in more than 60 years.

The polar scientists behind the experiment, who were drilling near the Chinese research station of Zhongshan in East Antarctica, were among many who were forced to cut short their field season last month. Their ride home, the icebreaker Xuelong, had been damaged when it hit an iceberg off West Antarctica, and needed to depart early.

“We all worried whether time was enough to reach bedrock,” says project leader Pavel Talalay, a drilling engineer at Jilin University in Changchun, northeast China.

Racing against the clock, the drillers reached their target on 10 February, pulling up a 7-centimetre-long rock core, which they hope to study for a rare glimpse of the region’s geology. The last sample taken from beneath East Antarctica’s ice was collected by Russian scientists in 1957. Talalay's team then scrambled to pack up their camp the following day, and by 13 February were on-board the Xuelong.

The iceberg collision also disrupted other Chinese Antarctic projects. In January, a South Korean research ship had to rescue Chinese workers — that the Xuelong was supposed to pick up — stranded on an island in Terra Nova Bay, where they had been building the country’s fifth Antarctic research station.

Other members of the Chinese Antarctic expedition squeezed in as much science as possible before departing on the Xuelong. One group installed a meteorological station about 100 kilometres from Zhongshan to collect data that will improve Antarctic weather forecasts. The Xue Ying aircraft, China’s only polar-research aeroplane, gathered geophysical observations of the ice sheet.

China is expanding its scientific activities in Antarctica, an ambition outlined in the country's five-year plan that began in 2016. This season, workers finished a second stage of construction at a research station that opened in 2014 about 500 kilometres from Zhongshan. China has also announced plans to build an airstrip on the ice near Zhongshan.

What lies beneath

Next year, if Talalay and his colleagues can secure funding, they plan to take their drill to the site of this future runway. They want to drill through the ice to help better monitor how ice flows in the area and where crevasses are likely to form, Talalay says. Working at the site would also allow them to take their drill to the next level of testing, because the ice there is 600–800 metres thick — substantially more than they drilled through this year.

Equipment used in a recent expedition to drill into Antarctic ice.Credit: Nan Zhang

The team hopes to eventually use the drill to penetrate more than 1 kilometre of ice to extract a rock core from one of Antarctica’s biggest geological mysteries: the Gamburtsev Mountains, a range that is similar to the Alps but about which little is known because it lies so deep beneath the ice. Like ice cores, which tell the story of changing environmental conditions as the ice formed, rock cores reveal the story of a region’s geology.

Antarctica’s enormous ice sheet covers almost the entire continent. The Gamburtsev Mountains are known to exist because they appear in radar images, but they are geologically puzzling because they occur in the middle of the continent, where researchers think there has been little tectonic activity for more than half a billion years. Drilling directly into the Gamburtsevs would allow geologists to begin testing ideas of how the mysterious range formed.

Risky business

Drilling in Antarctica is hard because of the cold temperatures and the logistical difficulties of transporting large amounts of equipment1. So far, scientists have recovered only a handful of rock cores from beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. These include an 8-metre-long core from the Pirrit Hills area of West Antarctica, collected by US researchers in the 2016–17 season2.

Last month, a team from the University of Glasgow, UK, was hoping to collect a small sample of bedrock from the bottom of a hole drilled in West Antarctica by the British Antarctic Survey. But technical problems, including misbehaving motors, scuttled the plan, says team leader Patrick Harkness, an ice-drilling engineer at Glasgow.

To successfully retrieve their rock core, Talalay’s team, led in the field by drilling engineer Zhang Nan of Jilin University, set up its drill about 12 kilometres south of Zhongshan during December and January. The group used ice-penetrating radar to locate the top of a hill buried beneath the ice, and aimed for that subglacial peak.

After drilling through the ice, the researchers lowered a rock-drilling tool into the hole and retrieved the short rock core. The dark, blocky cylinder appears to comprise a roughly fifty–fifty mix of ice and a metamorphic rock called gneiss, Talalay says.

The team’s success is “a significant accomplishment”, says John Goodge, a geologist at the University of Minnesota in Duluth who is helping develop a US drill meant to quickly pierce Antarctic ice and into the bedrock below. “I’m sure they are rightfully excited to have core in hand,” he says.

Drilling into the Gamburtsev Mountains is a long-standing goal of the Chinese and US Antarctic research programmes, Goodge notes. Such rock samples could help reveal how long the Antarctic ice sheet has existed above them, and whether there are any buried lakes or basins that could preserve evidence of life beneath the ice.

But getting through more than a kilometre of ice — while working in extreme cold, at high elevation, and far from an established major research base — is extremely difficult. So the Gamburtsevs may have to wait a while. “Can it be done?" Goodge asks. "I think so. But because of the many technical challenges it isn’t going to happen soon.”

Nature 567, 13-14 (2019)

doi: 10.1038/d41586-019-00659-z

 

[TaiShang]

China bans fishing in river flowing into Arctic

Xinhua, March 25, 2019

Chinese fishery authority said that fishing will be completely banned in the Ertix River, the only river in China that flows into the Arctic Ocean.

The fishery management center in the Altay prefecture, in the northern part of Xinjiang Province, said fishing will be banned year-round in all natural rivers in the Altay region, including the Ertix.

"We are enforcing the ban to restore fishery resources, protect the natural habitats, restore aquatic diversity, and protect the water sources for cities," said Ershanjam Mamat, head of the center's law enforcement division.

The Ertix River originates from the Altay Mountains in China and flows northwest along the southern foothills into Kazakhstan, Russia, before meeting the Arctic.

A seasonal fishing ban has been enforced in the Ertix since 2005 every year from April 1 to June 30. It helped raise legal awareness of the people living along the riverbank. The number of cold-water fish, such as the white bream and northern pikes, has been growing, official figures show.

Law enforcement authorities have also stepped up protection of the Ertix's natural environment.

Last year, 12 cases of illegal fishing were handled by authorities. More than 1,900 kg of illegal catches were released back to river, and eight boats used for illegal fishing were destroyed.

 

[TaiShang]

Ice Silk Road framework welcomed by countries, sets new direction for Arctic cooperation

By Zhang Yao Source:Global Times Published: 2019/4/7

Illustration: Luo Xuan/GT


Since the end of the Cold War, and especially since the beginning of the new century, the Arctic has become one of the concerns of international politics and global governance. At present, with the Arctic region facing some new trends, Arctic governance and cooperation have been struggling to move forward.

After the Cold War, the Arctic became a pilot area for global governance and international cooperation. However, in recent years, due to changes in international relations - and especially due to the deteriorating relationship between Russia and Western countries like the US - the Arctic has once again become a focus of attention in geopolitical confrontation.

After the Ukrainian crisis in 2014, Russia's relations with the West fell to their lowest point since the Cold War. Russia has the longest Arctic Ocean coastline of any country, and the Arctic has become a key point in Russia's marine strategy. Meanwhile, the US and its European allies have also greatly strengthened their military deployment in the Arctic. Last year, NATO held its biggest military exercise since the Cold War in Norwegian waters near the Arctic, adding to tensions between the US and Russia in the region.

In addition to geopolitical conflicts in the Arctic, Arctic cooperation and governance have also faced a number of bottlenecks. It is true that under the joint efforts of Arctic countries over the years, there have been many achievements in governance and cooperation, but this seems to show signs of slowing down.

First, the Arctic still lacks an effective, authoritative and representative international governance mechanism. At present, the Arctic Council is the most representative mechanism, but it is only a forum organization and lacks legal status under international law. Since the Arctic Council cannot be endowed with a leadership role, it is difficult for other specialized mechanisms to coordinate among each other. For instance, the Arctic Economic Council, the Arctic Coast Guard Forum, and other organizations related to economic and social development, as well as polar security, search and rescue, are all operating independently.

Second, Arctic countries are relatively conservative and inward-focused in terms of Arctic governance and cooperation, making it hard for countries outside the Arctic to express their concerns and to attract attention.

The initial drivers behind Arctic governance and cooperation have been climate change, energy demand and shipping prospects, as well as promoting globalization and global governance - all of which have faced changes recently. Due to the irresponsible decision by some countries to abandon the climate deal, global efforts to deal with climate change have been met with twists and turns.

The turmoil in the world energy market and declining energy prices have reduced the urgency of developing Arctic energy. The world shipping industry also posted a bearish performance amid the global economic downturn. In addition, globalization and global governance have faced headwinds due to populism and extreme conservatism in some countries. All these have resulted in bottlenecks in the current Arctic governance and cooperation process.

In 2013, China proposed the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Against the international background of that time, some Chinese experts already believed that future cooperation and development of the Arctic could be combined with the BRI. After a long period of discussion, in 2017, Chinese and Russian leaders jointly proposed the "Ice Silk Road (ISR)," with an aim to promote cooperation and development in the Arctic.

The ISR framework has been welcomed by some Arctic countries. During several meetings with Chinese leaders, Russian leaders emphasized that the two countries should push forward and strengthen ISR construction and cooperation. Finnish President Sauli Niinisto, during his visit to China in January, also expressed his willingness to discuss cooperation opportunities with China in Arctic waterway development and other projects to jointly build the ISR and promote the connectivity of Eurasia. Iceland already signed an Arctic cooperation agreement with China many years ago. In 2018, China and Russia achieved important progress in their cooperation in the Arctic gas field, and many cooperation agreements were reached on the construction of Arctic waterway infrastructure.

The ISR is an open initiative that abandons geopolitical thinking and advocates cooperation and a win-win perspective.

Against the backdrop of geopolitical conflicts in the Arctic and bottlenecks in regional governance and cooperation, the ISR and the cooperation of countries under this framework are the highlight of current Arctic cooperation and represent a new direction for future Arctic governance and cooperation.

 

[JSCh]

15:09, 15-Apr-2019
Drone observations reveal detailed features of Antarctic sea ice
CGTN

A team led by Chinese researchers has revealed the fine-scale surface features of the Antarctic sea ice by using drones to acquire high-resolution images and data, according to a study published in the international journal Remote Sensing.

In 2016 and 2017, researchers from Beijing Normal University participated in China's 33rd Antarctic expedition. Using the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) "Polar Hawk-III," they obtained remote sensing data of sea ice in the east Antarctic, to offer support for China's research vessel and icebreaker Xuelong (Snow Dragon).

China's icebreaker Xuelong in Antarctic ice zone, November 29, 2016 /Xinhua Photo

This is the first time that Chinese researchers used drone technology in surveying and mapping large areas of Antarctic sea ice. Previously, researchers had to carry a GPS and use a helicopter to explore, according to Li Teng, a researcher in the study.

The UAV observations have provided detailed characterizations of sea ice surface topography, especially the fine-scale features of ice ridges, which is still a challenge for satellite systems.

Researchers believe the UAV observations will have broad application prospects in sea ice research and polar exploration, such as observing sea ice melting processes, helping guide icebreakers and reducing transportation risks.

Scientists from Newcastle University and Northumbria University in Britain and Environment Canada also participated in the study.

The Polar Hawk-III is a fixed-wing drone with an integrated remote sensing system. It was jointly developed by Feima Robotics Laboratory and Beijing Normal University. It has a wingspan of 1.6 meters, weighs about 3.3 kg and costs 6,500 U.S. dollars.

(Cover: Chinese researchers has revealed the fine-scale surface features of the Antarctic sea ice by using drones to acquire high-resolution images and data. /Xinhua Photo)

 

[JSCh]

China and Russia Launch Scientific Cooperation in Arctic
Press Releases
April 16, 12:03UTC+3

QINGDAO, China, April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The agreement aimed at establishment of China-Russia Arctic Research Center (CRARC) was signed on April 10, at the International Arctic Forum held in St. Petersburg.

The Agreement is to document the development of bilateral cooperation between the Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) (QNLM) and P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) targeted at Arctic research and preservation of its indigenous natural wealth.

"The intensive development of Arctic shelf endangers its ecological system thus dictating the necessity for profound investigation into natural processes happening therein. Being the Great Oceanic Powers, Russia and China boast vast experience and competences to address comprehensive fundamental challenges associated with the Arctic region. The newly established Center will take China-Russia scientific cooperation to a new level. Jointly we will be able to initiate and implement major projects, including joint Arctic expeditions, to foster innovative dialogue as related to exploration of ocean mineral and biological resources to preserve unique subsea ecological systems. This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and China, and the establishment of China-Russia Arctic Research Center will be the best contribution to the development of partnership between our countries," noted Aleksey Sokov, Acting Director of the Institute of Oceanology.

"Our cooperation carries great importance for deepening the understanding of the region and identifying the Arctic's effect on global climate change. It will benefit peoples of our two sides and of the rest of the world, as well. I'm confident that our cooperation will bring the Arctic research a great prosperity," stated Prof. PAN Kehou, Secretary General of QNLM Academic Committee.

The activities of the Center are aimed at joint research in Arctic, including full-scale measurements onboard the Institute's research vessels, analysis of climatic, geological, biogeochemical processes and trends of ecosystem changes in the Arctic region. The obtained results will contribute to accurate prediction of ice conditions at the Northern Sea Route and providing recommendations for environmentally sound development of the Arctic region being intensively developed. Also, the Center will involve outstanding scientists from the major research institutions of Russia and China.

According to Prof. WU Lixin, Director of QNLM Executive Committee, "QNLM has put forward an international cooperation strategy to develop close and efficient research cooperation and partnership. We have established the International Center for Southern Hemisphere Oceans Research (CSHOR) collaborated with CSIRO in Australia. The signing of the agreement to establish CRARC marks an important step forward for QNLM in the process of developing a worldwide collaborative innovation network. After establishment, CRARC will focus on major scientific issues and strengthen researches in such fields as physical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics, marine biology, marine chemistry, and air-sea interaction in the Arctic by pooling in advantageous research resources and teams in China and Russia. Joint efforts will be made in Arctic marine science research, which will promote the construction of 'Silk Road on Ice'. In future, QNLM looks forward to more fruitful and efficient partnerships worldwide to contribute to the sustainable development of the world oceans and a shared future for mankind."



TASS: Press Releases - China and Russia Launch Scientific Cooperation in Arctic

 

[TaiShang]

China and Russia Launch Scientific Cooperation in Arctic
Press Releases
April 16, 12:03UTC+3

QINGDAO, China, April 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The agreement aimed at establishment of China-Russia Arctic Research Center (CRARC) was signed on April 10, at the International Arctic Forum held in St. Petersburg.

The Agreement is to document the development of bilateral cooperation between the Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao) (QNLM) and P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology of Russian Academy of Sciences (IO RAS) targeted at Arctic research and preservation of its indigenous natural wealth.

"The intensive development of Arctic shelf endangers its ecological system thus dictating the necessity for profound investigation into natural processes happening therein. Being the Great Oceanic Powers, Russia and China boast vast experience and competences to address comprehensive fundamental challenges associated with the Arctic region. The newly established Center will take China-Russia scientific cooperation to a new level. Jointly we will be able to initiate and implement major projects, including joint Arctic expeditions, to foster innovative dialogue as related to exploration of ocean mineral and biological resources to preserve unique subsea ecological systems. This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and China, and the establishment of China-Russia Arctic Research Center will be the best contribution to the development of partnership between our countries," noted Aleksey Sokov, Acting Director of the Institute of Oceanology.

"Our cooperation carries great importance for deepening the understanding of the region and identifying the Arctic's effect on global climate change. It will benefit peoples of our two sides and of the rest of the world, as well. I'm confident that our cooperation will bring the Arctic research a great prosperity," stated Prof. PAN Kehou, Secretary General of QNLM Academic Committee.

The activities of the Center are aimed at joint research in Arctic, including full-scale measurements onboard the Institute's research vessels, analysis of climatic, geological, biogeochemical processes and trends of ecosystem changes in the Arctic region. The obtained results will contribute to accurate prediction of ice conditions at the Northern Sea Route and providing recommendations for environmentally sound development of the Arctic region being intensively developed. Also, the Center will involve outstanding scientists from the major research institutions of Russia and China.

According to Prof. WU Lixin, Director of QNLM Executive Committee, "QNLM has put forward an international cooperation strategy to develop close and efficient research cooperation and partnership. We have established the International Center for Southern Hemisphere Oceans Research (CSHOR) collaborated with CSIRO in Australia. The signing of the agreement to establish CRARC marks an important step forward for QNLM in the process of developing a worldwide collaborative innovation network. After establishment, CRARC will focus on major scientific issues and strengthen researches in such fields as physical oceanography, marine geology and geophysics, marine biology, marine chemistry, and air-sea interaction in the Arctic by pooling in advantageous research resources and teams in China and Russia. Joint efforts will be made in Arctic marine science research, which will promote the construction of 'Silk Road on Ice'. In future, QNLM looks forward to more fruitful and efficient partnerships worldwide to contribute to the sustainable development of the world oceans and a shared future for mankind."



TASS: Press Releases - China and Russia Launch Scientific Cooperation in Arctic

In China's Arctic development, Russia, having the longest Arctic coast, is the indispensable partner.

 

[JSCh]

Two of Russia's latest offshore fields have been discovered by Chinese oilmen on board the «Nan Hai Ba Hao». Photo: Gazprom
Chinese rig makes second large discovery in Russian Arctic waters
The «Nan Hai Ba Hao» has found more than a trillion cubic meters of natural gas in the Kara Sea. The rig will be back in the area this summer.

Read in Russian | Читать по-русски
By Atle Staalesen

May 20, 2019

The 15,469 deadweight ton installation has made it from the South China Sea to the Russian Arctic two years in a row. In 2017, it drilled in the Leningradskoye license area in the Kara Sea and expanded the resource potential of the structure by more than 850 million cubic meters of gas to a total of 1,9 trillion cubic meters. The year afterwards, it was back in the area to drill in the nearby Rusanvoskoye area. Both operations were made in cooperation with Russia’s natural gas company Gazprom.

The «Nan Hai Ba Hao» in Murmansk in summer of 2017. Photo: gov-murman.ru

The Russian company now confirms that the well drilling at the Rusanvoskoye revealed 390,2 billion cubic meters of gas. The discovery has been named after Soviet Minister of Energy V.A Dinkov and is located at 72 degrees North about 100 km off the west coast of the Yamal Peninsula.

With the discovery of the V.A Dinkov field, the Chinese rig has made two of Russia’s biggest offshore findings over the last decade. The accumulated resources of the discoveries amount to more than 1,2 trillion cubic meters of natural gas.

The «Nan Hai Ba Hao» is owned by the China Oilfield Service Limited and is also known as the «Nanhai VIII».

The rig will be back in Russian Arctic waters in 2019, information from the Northern Sea Route Administration shows.

The Rusanovsky license area is located in the Kara Sea (in up left corner of the map). Map by Gazprom.ru

The «Nan Hai Ba Hao» was not the only rig that drilled in Russia’s Kara Sea in 2018. Also the rigs «Arcticheskaya» and the «Amazon» were active in the Nyarmeysky and Severo-Obskoye license areas respectively.

The rigs are owned by Gazprom Flot, a subsidiary unit of Gazprom.

According to the company, the drilling at the Nyarmeysky revealed a total of 120,8 billion cubic meters. The Severo-Obskoye structure holds more than 300 billion cubic meters, license holder Novatek informs.

The discoveries offshore in the Kara Sea come as both Gazprom and Novatek are in the process of making unprecedented field developments in the nearby Yamal Peninsula.

Gazprom operates the Bovanenkovo field and will in year 2023 launch production at the Kharasavey. Novatek is operator of the Yamal LNG project and is in the process of developing the Arctic LNG 2 project. The resources of offshore structures like the Severo-Obskoye can potentially be included in the company’s major investments in liquified natural gas in the Arctic.


Chinese rig makes second large discovery in Russian Arctic waters | The Independent Barents Observer