Russia has been present in the Arctic region for centuries. As transport and other infrastructure resources developed, a gradual development of the Arctic took place. The USSR concentrated its efforts mainly on the implementation of local projects for the development of individual deposits. Now the Russian authorities are actively trying to significantly increase the dynamics of the use of regional resources.
There are reasons for this. Among those noted by experts are some improvement in climatic conditions (when more territories became available), global processes in the global economy that require the use of additional transport routes, including northern highways. The problems of Arctic exploration are quite diverse - these are ecology, politics, and socio-economic aspects. But the prospects for work in this direction, according to experts, are very significant.
Mastering
The history of Arctic exploration is particularly fascinating. The first information about the region in Russian sources dates back to the 10th century. Particularly active was the development of territories that are now commonly referred to as the Northern Sea Route. In the 16th century, Pomors managed to get to the mouth of the Ob, and then to the Yenisei, Lena. There is, meanwhile, evidence that the development of the Arctic by man actually originates from ancient times, from the Stone Age. In the 16-17 centuries, Russian sailors were able to discover the main part of the coastline of the Arctic, thereby opening the way to the Pacific Ocean.
In the mid-18th century, researchers from the Great Northern Expedition led by Vitus Bering worked on the Arctic coast. Scientists were able to compile the most valuable cartographic and hydrographic material. At the beginning of the 19th century, Russian sailors continued to actively explore the Arctic. Some expeditions also involved foreign researchers. For example, in 1873, the archipelago, called the Franz Josef Land, was discovered by sailors from Austria-Hungary. In 1878-1879, researchers from the joint Swedish-Russian sea expedition on the ship "Vega" passed the Northern Sea Route from beginning to end. In 1899, the legendary icebreaker "Ermak" was built, which made it possible to establish communication between different regions of the north of Russia. The development of the Arctic went on step by step in the 20th century. Despite the difficult times after the October Revolution, in the 1920s several structures were created at once, the task of which was to further study the region. In 1923-1933, in the areas adjacent to the Arctic Ocean, Russian and then Soviet researchers built 19 weather stations. Actively mastered the Russian North and in the 30s.
With the outbreak of World War II, Arctic exploration temporarily ceased, but the region’s infrastructure, created in previous years, made a significant contribution to the victory. In the years after the war, Soviet researchers began to visit the Northern Sea Route again. In the regions adjacent to the Arctic, oil, gas, gold, and diamond deposits were developed. The infrastructure of cities developed, new settlements were built, large industrial facilities appeared. The history of the development of the Arctic in the Soviet period was characterized by the implementation of such large-scale and fundamentally significant projects that modern Russia still uses both the infrastructure and the scientific heritage of that time. At the same time, our country faces new challenges in the development of the region.
World significance
Interest in the Arctic is experienced not only by Russia. The main reason that this part of the world attracts the attention of states from virtually all surrounding continents is the huge natural wealth. At least four other countries, except Russia, are claiming to develop the Arctic - these are the USA, Canada, Norway and Denmark. Each of the countries, one way or another, has marine access to this macro-region.
Resources of the Russian Arctic
Significant areas of the continental Arctic belong to Russia. There are unique deposits of oil and gas, and our country is already beginning to implement the first stages in their development. This can be observed, in particular, on the example of decent rates of housing construction in those regions adjacent to the Arctic shelf - so that future researchers of the macro-region and labor collectives can settle near promising objects. In the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug alone hundreds of thousands of square meters of residential areas are being built. Transport infrastructure is also being improved.
Immediate Goals
What are the next stages within which Russia will develop the Arctic? The greatest activity of researchers and entrepreneurs from our country is expected in the direction of the development of the Bovanenkovo oil and gas field, located in the Yamal-Nenets region. According to some experts, this will largely determine the prospects for economic development in this part of Russia.
It is planned that the federal authorities of the Russian Federation will spend about 630 billion rubles on the development of the Arctic until 2020. About 50 billion is also expected to be attracted from regional budgets. These figures are provided by the state program for the development of the Arctic, however, their value can be revised. The purpose of the corresponding program is the integrated development of the entire Arctic region.
Geographically, it is customary to classify coastal and shelf zones of such entities as the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk Regions, the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Yakutia, and the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug geographically. The resource potential of the region, according to authorities, is huge. But its practical implementation requires significant efforts related to solving environmental issues and foreign policy. The development of transport, energy infrastructure, tourism, and promising areas, such as, for example, the development of the Arctic shelf, are very resource-intensive areas of activity.
Natural resources of Yamal
Already, the Yamal region is one of the key for the Russian gas industry. Over 80% of our gas is produced at current fields. The total reserves of blue fuel in Yamal is trillions of cubic meters. There is also oil here - its reserves are estimated at about 200 million tons. State and private structures are planning active development of infrastructure capable of providing gas transit from Yamal.
Gas infrastructure
Among the priority areas in the construction of infrastructure on the Yamal Peninsula is the production of liquefied natural gas. First of all, this is a plant near the village of Sabetta, which is being built by NOVATEK. The expected capacity of this enterprise is about 15 million tons. Near the plant, it is planned to build an airport, a large seaport. As expected, the main field on the basis of which the enterprise will operate is Yuzhno-Tambeyskoye, which is considered the largest in the Yamal Peninsula. Its reserves are 1.3 trillion cubic meters of gas. There is evidence that the implementation of this project will be largely oriented to foreign markets. The planned date for putting the plant into operation is 2016.
North latitudinal way
The development of the Arctic by Russia, of course, is not limited to activities in the gas industry. Among the noteworthy areas are the construction of a promising sea route - the Northern latitudinal railway. The structure of this seafaring line is supposed to include such ports as Salekhard, Nadym, Novy Urengoy. The implementation of the program for the construction of this sea route is associated with the need to ensure communication between different sections of the Arctic macro-region.
Railway infrastructure
The development of the Arctic is accompanied by the construction of new railway networks in the region. This is especially important, in particular, for the development of oil and gas condensate fields, as well as from the point of view of socio-economic development of the Yamalo-Nenets region as a whole. The construction of a junction of the Obskaya-2 railway station, the laying of tracks that connect Salekhard with sections of the Northern Railway are planned. It is planned to build a bridge across the Ob. These facilities are expected to be commissioned in 2015.
Oil infrastructure
The transportation of oil from Yamal and other deposits in the macroregion requires the development of appropriate infrastructure. Among the priority facilities are the Pur-Pe - Samotlor pipeline. Its uniqueness lies in its geographical position. It is the northernmost of the main oil pipelines of the Russian Federation. The purpose of its construction is to increase the volume of transported oil from the Arctic and Siberia to the European part of the Russian Federation with export prospects.
Electricity Infrastructure
The development of the Arctic requires the introduction of electric power infrastructure facilities. Among the key ones is the Polyarnaya power station. Its construction was completed in 2011. The installed capacity of the station is 268 MW. Polyarnaya contributes in many respects to the establishment of an uninterrupted supply of electricity to industries concentrated on the Yamal Peninsula, as well as to residents of the cities of the region, and it allows replacing obsolete boiler houses that are used in settlements. At the same time, a subsequent reduction in electricity and heat tariffs is expected for residents of Yamal.
Gas processing
It is assumed that the extraction and transportation of raw materials on the Yamal Peninsula should also be supplemented by processing industries. In particular, adapted to the use of so-called associated gas. The fact is that this type of raw material can be the basis for the extraction of light hydrocarbons. They, in turn, can be used by chemical enterprises for the production of rubber, detergents, etc. Among the key objects of the production infrastructure in the Arctic region is the gas processing complex in Noyabrsk, as well as a similar enterprise in the city of Gubkinsky.
Wind power
The Arctic development strategy being developed by the Russian authorities and corporations also includes the development of alternative methods for generating electricity. In this direction, we can note the work on the construction of wind farms. According to one of the ongoing projects, the region has optimal climatic resources for successful practical implementation of projects related to the development of alternative energy sources. At the same time, the wind power plants that are planned to be built do not require the development of any fundamentally new technological solutions - all that is needed is already on the market. You can implement the relevant developments - the economic feasibility of their implementation has been proven. The government of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug declared its readiness to be one of the investors in projects of a corresponding orientation.
Tourism
The development of the Russian Arctic is supposed not only in the aspect of industrial development, but also in a slightly different way - by tourists. Now the number of enthusiasts who decided to visit Yamal as part of a camping trip is not so much. At the same time, the development potential of the relevant industry in the region is significant. This is expressed in many aspects. Firstly, Yamal has a beautiful nature. Secondly, the indigenous peoples of Russia live here, whose culture, way of life and hospitality add special flavor to the region. Thirdly, Yamal is a great place for outdoor enthusiasts.
We note again that the Government of Yamal declared its interest in the development of the tourism industry. The authorities plan to contribute to the development of the infrastructure necessary for travelers, as well as supporting entrepreneurs involved in attracting tourists to the region. Some experts believe that Yamal, like other regions of the Arctic, is promising in terms of the development of cruise travels.
Environmental aspect
What are the main problems without which the successful development of the Russian Arctic could be difficult? At the beginning of the article, we noted that among the areas that require increased attention is ecology. Among the areas of work that need to be implemented in the near future are the cleaning up of the Arctic in those regions where environmental risks are most noticeable.
