Soon, pumping oil from the depths of the sea will become the leading direction in the extraction of petroleum products, because hydrocarbon reserves on land are being depleted, and humanity is consuming more and more energy. Currently, an active search is underway for oil deposits in the World Ocean using high-precision and efficient equipment.
Searching for oil in the sea
The seismic method is the main prospecting method that allows you to find deposits of oil and oil products at the bottom of the seas. It consists of continuously recording sound waves bouncing off the seabed. The supplied waves are created artificially - with the help of special devices installed on the search vessel. To supply a sound wave, the sea bottom is bombarded with compressed air. Reflected seismic waves are recorded by a receiving device - hydrophones - and characterize the composition and nature of sediments under the water column. The analysis of the reflected waves is carried out by special computer programs, which can, based on such indicators as frequency, length, return time, draw a conclusion about what is under water, and also draw up a 3D model depicting the formations located between the oil field and water.
Such a search requires not only expensive high-precision and efficient equipment, but also high-quality specialists who are able to operate these devices, correctly read the results obtained and draw the right conclusions. This kind of work is done by geologists. They are forced to work far from home - on the high seas - and have no room for error. A well-coordinated team of specialists always works on the ship, each member of which performs a specific task. The main analytical work on data processing will be carried out onshore.
Latest developments
Now Russian scientists are developing a nuclear submarine for seismic exploration of the seabed. According to the director of the marine engineering design bureau Yevgeny Toporov, construction will begin in 2020. The submarine will have multi-meter wings, which will be embedded with various sensitive sensors and sensors, with the help of which it will be easier and faster to study the seabed. And the proximity of the submarine to the seabed will increase the accuracy of research and reduce the search time. Since the submarine will carry out exclusively search work and will not be equipped with a weapon system, its cost will be much lower than similar submarines of the Navy. In addition, the submarine will make it possible to find not only hydrocarbon and accompanying gas deposits, but other minerals.
It should be noted that, according to preliminary forecasts of scientists, more than 50% of all oil reserves on the planet are located at the bottom of the World Ocean. Therefore, this direction - the search for hydrocarbons in the sea and ocean - is the most important state and global task that all developed and developing countries are trying to solve.
