Unique Submerged Oil Terminal in Barents Sea to Become Operational September 20

The Murmansk Sea Lines company intends to begin operating a unique submerged arctic oil loading terminal in Pechora Sea, which is the southern part of the Barents Sea. According to the press service of the company, the terminal will allow saving money by cutting down on the construction of piers and significantly increasing the volumes of oil transported from the Varandei oilfield by the tankers of the LUKoil-Arctic-Tanker company. The towing of the elements of the terminal to be assembled at Varandei will begin today.

The value of the project remains undisclosed. However, according to the sources of the Rosbalt news agency, it should pay for itself over one year. The press service of the Murmansk Sea Lines says the terminal will be environmentally safe. It will be serviced by a team of specially trained deep-water divers.

The underwater terminal is a submerged circular structure, 3 m high, 12 m in diameter, weighing over 100 tonnes. It will allow the safe mooring of tankers of reinforced ice class even during storms reaching 6 points on the Beaufort scale. The projected lifetime of the terminal is 20 years.