SERGEY V. KOROTKOV, NIKOLAY V. GOLOVIN, VLADIMIR A. PAYALOV

JSC "AMIGE", Russia

Since 1999 Joint-Stock company (JSC) AMIGE has been carrying out environmental monitoring in the coastal area of the Varandey Island.

Annual surveys are targeted to a temporary offshore oil loading system and include sea level, currents, waves, water temperature and salinity measurements, weather observations and seabed soil transportation study.

Hydrometeorological observations in the study area began in 1940 after a regular weather station was arranged in the Varandey Island by Northern Weather Department so there are rather sufficient data on the distribution of the basic hydrometeorological parameters.

In 1954 the Barents Sea (including Pechora Sea) was covered with the regular grid of hydrologic lines. After that integrated hydrometeorological surveys in the area were carried out by the Northern Weather Department from research vessels. Besides, casual observations were run within the framework of various scientific programs of the companies and institutes engaged in offshore surveys.

From 1980 to now, regular engineering hydrometeorological surveys in the Pechora Sea , including the area of Varandey Island, are earned out by experts of JSC AMIGE.

In 1987 at Medynsky Zavorot the specialists of JSC "AMIGE" from jack-up btKolskaya» had been carried out an integrated hydrometeorological survey which included surveys of weather observations, waves, currents and tides measurements. Duration of observations was б month. Besides in 80th and 90th years there were casual tide and current measurements carried out during the engineering survey of Varandeyskaya and Medynskaya oil and gas prospective areas.

Results of the engineering hydrometeorological surveys of JSC "AMIGE" in this area are described in two generalizing reports, where results of surveys in this area for offshore constructions are systematized.

However hydrophysical and hydrodynamic conditions of the coastal part are still insufficiently studied, for it is difficult to carry out reliable measurements in the extremely shallow waters and verify existing hydrodynamic models.

The knowledge of hydrometeorological regime of the Vrandey's coastal waters was added by synchronous measurements of dynamic elements which were made in 2002-2003.

Basic results of engineering hydrometeorological surveys carried out off the Varandey Island include the following:
• description of a mode of sea level fluctuations included tide and wind components;
• characteristic of total currents and their basic components, including near-bottom layer from extremely shallow waters up to depth of 20-25 meters;
• estimation of transformation of wave characteristics from extremely shallow waters up to depth of 20-25 meters based on synchronous measurements;
• characteristic of ice regime in the area of projected and existing pipeline routes-including morphometric features of stamukhas and hummocks;
• litodynamics features of the area, including changeability of seabed relief based on results of multiple levellings, soundings and calculations of sediment dynamics.

ARCTIC SHELF OIL AND GAS CONFERENCE 2004