Permafrost Impact on Gas Fields Development in the Russian Onshore Arctic (Yamal Peninsula)

Abstract

Abstract Permafrost in Arctic is one of the most important factors when exploration and production of gas and gas condensate fields due to its sensitivity to any technogenic (humane-made) impact or climatic change. Exploration and production procedures in the areas with instable permafrost cause such processes like thermokarst, thermoerosion, flooding, frost heave, surface subsidence, shallow gas blowouts et al. These processes require their forecast and prevention when gas field development designing. However permafrost sometimes is very different in its properties even within area of one production well cluster, so careful study of permafrost behavior is needed before and during gas production. Russian experience of gas field development at complicated permafrost (geocryologic) conditions of Yamal peninsula (Kara Sea shore) is presented.