Iceberg towing as a technology for its drift change to ensure safe Arctic development

UDK: 622.24.085:658.5

DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2018-11-36-40

Key words: Arctic, iceberg, offshore, ice management, towing

Authors: A.A. Pashali (Rosneft Oil Company, RF, Moscow), K.A. Kornishin (Rosneft Oil Company, RF, Moscow), P.A. Tarasov (Rosneft Oil Company, RF, Moscow), Ya.O. Efimov (Arctic Research and Design Center For Offshore Technology, RF, Moscow), A.V. Nesterov (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, RF, Saint Petersburg), A.V. Chernov (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, RF, Saint Petersburg), I.V. Buzin (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, RF, Saint Petersburg), I.A. Svistunov (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, RF, Saint Petersburg), P.V. Maksimova (Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, RF, Saint Petersburg)

This article continues a cycle of publications devoted to a problem of ensuring iceberg safety during explorative drilling in the Arctic seas. Rosneft Oil Company in 2016-2017 together with the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Institute and Arctic Research Center carried out experimental works on iceberg towing possibility to change iceberg’s drift. A series of almost 40 full-scale experiments were conducted by vessels of different types and at various meteo and ice conditions. Diesel icebreakers Captain Dranizyn and Novorossiysk were used together with research vessel Academician Treshnikov.

During marine operations, the following types of physical impact on icebergs of various sizes were tested: iceberg towing with a floating rope (29 experiments); iceberg towing with a towing net (6 experiments).

Parameters of experiments were registered by means of different instrumental complexes: iceberg/vessel position, tension of a towing rope/net, propulsion, wind/current direction and speed, etc.

Based on the data obtained from experiments methodology of carrying out and processing of iceberg towing is developed. Limitations on weather conditions for iceberg towing in the Russian Arctic are established. The dependence of iceberg’s resistance coefficient and drag force are obtained based on its geometrical parameters and the towing data. Mathematical model for long- and short-period fluctuations during iceberg towing is developed for objects of different size; a mathematical problem of towing for various icebergs is stated and solved. Procedures of optimum icebergs drift change are proposed for the vessels of different types.

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