Organized by Akvaplan-niva, SINTEF and the Northern Research Institute
The Barents Sea is the largest among the pan-Arctic shelf seas that surround the Arctic Ocean. Forty-nine percent of the total pan-Arctic shelf primary production takes place in the Barents sea. Sea ice can cover up to 90% of the Barents Sea surface in winter.
The ice plays a key role in the ecosystem structure and function by providing a habitat and food to highly specialized sea ice living creatures. The Barents Sea has become a main center of attention of the oil industry. Starting in 2007, LNG gas from the Snøhvit field is produced in the Norwegian sector to supply the world market while the Goliat oil field also in the Norwegian sector will enter its production phase in the coming decade.
The new oil field Skrugard discovered in 2011 appears to be highly promissing. Additionally, there is a tremendous increase in oil maritime transport from Russia along the Norwegian coast to the European and American markets. As the anthropogenic activities gain momentum in the Barents Sea numerous challenges need to be tackled to ensure that this sea ice ecosystem is protected.Therefore, a set of environmental measures need to be taken to protect the Barents Sea for the future as a basis for sustainable welfare and wealth.
Within this context, scientists of the Fram Center proposed to organize a workshop, during the Arctic Frontiers conference in Tromsø, to review the state of the art and identify knowledge gaps in four key themes: Management, Fate of oil, Biological effects and Risk assessment. The deliverable of the workshop will be a research program that will address the objectives to understand the environmental consequences when oil is discharged in waters where ice is present.
Compendium+Oil+on+Ice.pdf
Contacts:
Lionel Camus Akvaplan-niva Fram Center Tromsø
Rune Storvold NORUT Fram Center Tromsø
Ivar Singsaas SINTEF Fram Center Tromsø
This is an open workshop, all costs are covered by the Fram Center. Please, we would appreciate that you inform us about your participation.