Offshore staff
OSLO, Norway-- The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has commissioned four successful ROV dives and acquired depth data (bathymetry) near the Vøring Spur in the western Norwegian Sea.
This year's expedition led to the extraction of over 100 kg (220 lbs) of samples from the deepwater seabed. The deepest completed ROV dive was to 3,570 m (11,712 ft).
The Centre for Deep Sea Research at the University of Bergen (UiB) conducted the operations, following similar programs with NPD at the Vøring Spur and the Gjallar Ridge in 2013.
Vøring Spur is asubsea ridge in the central Norwegian Sea. Improved understanding of the subsurface from this ridge should assist evaluations concerning the opening of the North Atlantic.
NPD funds UiB's annual expeditions to the Mohns Ridge, and had available operating time at the Vøring Spur. Its main aims were to acquire bathymetry and to collect local rock samples from exposed rock and manganese crusts.
Despite adverse weather, data acquisition went ahead as planned and the expedition will now continue with exploration of the Mohns Ridge further northwest in the Norwegian Sea.
Collected materials should arrive in Bergen in late July/early August, and the NPD will then begin its analyses.
Early results suggest the samples comprise silt and sandstone, in addition to certain substantial local deposits of manganese crusts.
NPD will include the materials in its knowledge base concerning the subsurface.
7/15/2016
