Digital Technologies in Arctic Oil and Gas Resources Extraction: Global Trends and Russian Experience

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the analysis of the current and the forecast of the prospective state of introducing digital technologies into the oil and gas mining industry of the Russian Arctic. The authors of the paper analyzed the global trends that define the process of digital technologies’ introduction into the oil and gas mining industry. They also reviewed the Russian companies’ experience in this sphere. The main trends and prospects for the development of oil and gas resources extraction in the Russian Arctic in the digitalization sphere were identified. Together with this, the researchers considered prospects for digital technologies’ introduction into the oil and gas industry, observing their competition with RES. As a result, the authors have come to the following conclusions: (1) in Russian companies, digitalization is being more actively introduced into the processes of general enterprise management. (2) The main purpose of Russian oil and gas sector digitalization is to increase the efficiency of business process management, while the key constraining factors of digitalization are the lack of qualified personnel, lack of material and technical base and cyber-security threats aggravation. (3) The prospects of introducing a new package of sanctions can become both an incentive for a qualitative leap in Russian software development/implementation and an obstacle to the development of Arctic projects due to their rise in price. (4) The COVID-19 pandemic factor is one of the incentives for the widespread introduction of production and various business processes automation in the oil and gas industry, as well as the development of digital communications. (5) The leader in the digital technology development industry among Russian oil and gas companies is “Gazprom Neft” PJSC, followed by “NK Rosneft” PJSC. (6) “Gazprom” PJSC continues to lag behind in the sphere of digitalization; however, qualitative changes here should be expected in 2022. (7) The “sensitivity parameters” influencing the industry digitalization process in the Arctic region are the high dependence on foreign technological solutions and software, characteristics of the entire Russian oil and gas industry, and the problem of ensuring cybersecurity in Arctic oil and gas projects and power outages. (8) For the Arctic regions, the use of RES as the main source of electricity is the most optimal and promising solution; however, hydrocarbon energy will still dominate the market in the foreseeable future.

Formation of organizational and economic mechanism to develop digital technologies in oil and gas sector

“…Основные эффекты от внедрения цифровых технологий в деятельность нефтегазовых компаний Источник: составлено авторами на основе [11][12][13]. От степени эффективности решения приведенных выше задач зависит результативность функционирования компаний в текущих условиях повышенной турбулентности и изменчивости макроэкономического окружения [9,21,27]. Несмотря на широкий спектр преимуществ, достигаемых за счет цифровизации производств и технологических процессов, российские организации не показывают высокой активности и результативности в данной сфере.…”

Efficiency of sorption-biological treatment of oil-polluted coastal areas in the Euro-Arctic region

“…In recent years, the Arctic region has become the center of intersection of national interests of the Arctic states, which leads to the formation of a new system of global and regional security. Reserves of natural resources in the Arctic, primarily hydrocarbons of the continental shelf, cause competition for their development and exploitation, including control over the shelf zone of the Arctic seas [1,2].…”

Financial potential as a basis for ensuring environmental and economic security of the Arctic regions

“…Firstly, the exhaustion of finite natural resources in more southern climatic zones. Secondly, the emergence and development of new technologies that allow exploration and extraction of minerals in the difficult natural and climatic conditions of the Arctic [2,3]. Thirdly, the emergence of a more favorable conditions for economic activity, due to the release of ever larger spaces from snow and ice cover.…”