The number of oil and gas activities in the arctic and sub-arctic regions has been increased during the last decades due to recent advances in technology, increasing demand for hydrocarbons, and the fact that conventional hydrocarbon resources in other regions are approaching their maturity. Drilling is one of the most important activities in the oil and gas operations, which may be present from the early stages of a field discovery till the end of production phase. Like anywhere else, drilling in the arctic and sub-arctic seas involves a wide range of challenges, which can result in higher levels of uncertainties and risks. Therefore, these challenges need to be considered through the whole life cycle of a field. The specifics of these areas like remoteness, lack of infrastructure, icing events, and sea ice conditions, as well as their harsh climate conditions intensify these challenges, and the resulting uncertainties, and risks. To be able to identify and manage such risks, the first step is to know the associating challenges, which consequently needs a thorough knowledge about the location of the operation, its characteristics, and climate conditions. This paper describes and discusses the main environmental characteristics of the Barents Sea. It further reviews some challenges in drilling activities in this area, and some general considerations, by which these challenges can be managed.
展开▼
