Russian continental shelf, comprising over 6 million km2, is the largest worldwide. Being the largest license holder in the Russian continental shelf, Rosneft performs a full range of exploration & appraisal activities in the Arctic, Russian Far East and South seas in line with license commitments, and takes part in global joint offshore projects as part of consortia.

As of December 31, 2021, Rosneft holds 52 licenses for areas in the Arctic, Far East and South seas of Russia. Total hydrocarbon resources of the areas are estimated at 42 billion tons of oil equivalent.

Rosneft license areas are located in:

• West Arctic: the Barents, Pechora and Kara Seas (19 projects)
• East Arctic: the Laptev, East Siberian and Chukchi Seas (9 projects)
• Russian Far East: the Sea of Okhotsk and Sea of Japan (17 projects)
• Russian Southern regions: the Black and Caspian Seas and the Sea of Azov (7 projects)

As of December 31, 2021, the Company conducts geological exploration activities at 45 license areas located at the Russian continental shelf and inland seas. All license commitments are being delivered.

West Arctic

Overview

Rosneft holds licenses for 19 areas at the continental shelf of the West Arctic seas:

• 7 areas in the Barents Sea: Fedynsky, Central Barentsy, Perseyevsky, Albanovsky, Varnek, West Prinovozemelsky and Gusinozemelsky;
• 8 areas in the Pechora Sea: Russky, South Russky, South Prinovozemelsky, West Matveevsky, North Pomorsky-1, 2, Pomorsky and Medynsko-Varandeysky;
• 4 areas in the Kara Sea: East Prinovozemelsky-1, 2, 3 and North Karsky.

East Arctic

Overview

Rosneft holds licenses for 9 areas at the continental shelf of the East Arctic seas:

• 5 areas in the Laptev Sea: Ust-Oleneksky, Ust-Lensky, Anisinsko-Novosibirsky, Khatangsky and Pritaymyrsky;
• 1 area in the East Siberian Sea: East Siberian-1;
• 3 areas in the Chukchi Sea: North Wrangelevsky-1,2 and South Chukotsky.

Russian Far East 

Overview

Rosneft, together with its subsidiaries and joint ventures, holds licenses for 17 areas at the continental shelf of the Sea of Okhotsk and the Sea of Japan in the Far Eastern Federal District:

• 12 licenses off the coast of Sakhalin: 3 areas of the Sakhalin-1 Project, Northern Tip of Chayvo field, Kaigansko-Vasyukanskoye-Sea field, Deryuginsky, Astrakhanovskoye Sea-Nekrasovsky,  Severo-Veninskoye field, Amur-Limansky, Central Tatarsky, Bogatinsky, North Sakhalinsky;
• 5 areas off the coast of Magadan (Nothern part of the Sea of Okhotsk): Magadan-1, 2, 3, Lisyansky, Kashevarovsky.

South Region

Overview

Rosneft holds licenses in the Russian Black Sea, Caspian Sea and the Sea of Azov: Temryuksko-Akhtarsky area and Novoye field in the Sea of Azov; North Caspian area and West Rakushechnoye field in the Caspian Sea; Tuapse Trough, West Chernomorskaya area and South Chernomorskaya area in the Black Sea.

The most important principle of Rosneft in implementation of its offshore projects is strict adherence to the requirements of Russian environmental legislation and international agreements at all stages of operations, in compliance with all environmental and industrial safety standards. Marine wildlife observations have been continuously carried out during offshore operations.

Environmental risk identification and prevention are an essential part of any Rosneft exploration and production project. The Company has developed environmental safety standards that focus on the use of environmentally friendly technologies.

Since 2012, the Company has been studying metocean and ice situation, geotechnical and environmental conditions in the Arctic license areas. In 2021, Rosneft, together with the experts of the Arctic Research Center (ARC), arranged regular annual integrated scientific research expeditions in the Arctic seas.

As part of the Kara-Leto-2021 Arctic research expedition, the Company performed various metocean studies in the Arctic seas of the Russian Federation to support the Company's monitoring infrastructure in the Kara Sea.

The expeditionary studies of polar bears in spring were carried out on the Alexandra Land Island (Franz Josef Land Archipelago). The animals were observed during the emergence of female polar bears from their maternity dens. The total length of the expedition routes exceeded 1,500 kilometers. The researchers observed 15 polar bears in total. Nine animals were studied using distant animal immobilization method, which posed no threat to their life and health. A series of morphometric parameters of the bears were identified, together with weighting, blood and fur sampling for genetic, biochemical and toxicological analyses. In summer, a team of scientists studied polar bears at Cape Zhelaniya in the Novaya Zemlya archipelago.

An exploration of 34 islands in the Franz Josef Land and Novaya Zemlya archipelagos (territory of the Russian Arctic National Park) was conducted to study the Atlantic walrus. 17 landings were made for the close contact with the animals and tagging of 16 animals with satellite transmitters. Large-scale surveys of Atlantic walrus rookeries were carried out using drones. According to preliminary counts, the total number of animals amounted to 7,145 which is twice as high as the last year's counts. The largest haulout of the Atlantic walrus subspecies ever recorded was found on Eva-Liv Island.

Studies of wild reindeer were carried out too. The research was conducted in close proximity to the migration routes and wintering grounds of the Taimyr-Evenki reindeer population - in the vicinity of the Essei and Eromo lakes in the Evenki Municipal District. The research included the largest integrated monitoring of animals in the history of the project. Ground and aerial surveys were carried out, including photo and video recording with subsequent identification of individual animals, registration of sites of human impact on the herd, collection of biological material, satellite and drone footage for detailed examination of detected animal groups.