Oil and Gas of Arctic Shelf International Conference to Take Place in Murmansk, October 13-15

Oil and Gas of Arctic Shelf international conference will take place in Murmansk, October 13 through 15. Its participants are expected to be familiarized with the outcome of geological and geophysical research of more than 20 past years.

The organising committee for the conference met in Murmansk yesterday. According to Alexander Selin, the First Vice-Governor of the Murmansk Region, the organisers plan familiarizing Russian and Foreign oil companies and geophysical institutions with the current status and prospects of the development of arctic shelf, while attracting the attention of prospective investors. Considered will be issues pertaining to the geology, tectonics, and oil and gas content of the shelf. Mr. Selin said 23 large Western companies and/or their offices in Russia had expressed their intent to participate.

Mr. Selin also said that the necessity of holding such a conference had become obvious long ago. 'Every discovery on Russia's arctic shelf', he said, 'was made by Murmansk organisations. We have been long waiting for the activation of work on the shelf. This will allow to resolve fuel-related problems of the Kola Peninsula and assure work for Kola-based companies engaged in geological prospecting'.

The conference is organised by the Arcticshelf association that brings together prospecting geological companies of the Murmansk region. These are Sevmorneftegeofizika, The Murmansk Arctic Geological Prospecting Expedition, and Arktikmorneftegazrazvedka. The American Conaco oil company is the sponsor of the conference.