Permafrost-landscape prerequisites for the use of cryogels in the extraction and transportation of oil in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra

• Main Authors: Osadchaya, G. G., Zengina, T. Yu, Kirillov, S. N., Slipenchuk, M. V., Dudnikov, V. Yu
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Economic impact; Geomorphology; Human influences; Impact analysis; Optimization; Permafrost; Reclamation; Soil bearing capacity; Soil properties; Soil stabilization; Taiga & tundra; Transportation; Tundra
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0128566

The development of the North requires adaptation to the Arctic specifics of the territory. First of all, this concerns areas of active development and transportation of hydrocarbons. Using the Bolshezemelskaya tundra as an example, the article presents the results of assessing the possibility of using cryogels in the conditions of permafrost distribution. The use of cryogels, which are a modern composite eco-friendly material with adjustable properties, can help minimize the negative anthropogenic impact on the environment, reduce technogenic risks and economic costs, and ensure environmental safety. It is shown that the frequency of occurrence of natural and technogenic situations, the solution of which is possible with the use of cryogels, depends on the morphological structure of landscapes in the permafrost zone. The most common natural-anthropogenic situations in which the use of cryogels is possible are identified. The permafrost-landscape prerequisites for the spread of such situations are determined. The index "Cryogels application potential" was calculated separately for each type of zonal landscapes, taking into account geomorphological levels. It was revealed that the potential for the use of cryogels is very high, and the areas of their possible use vary greatly depending on the zonal belonging of the development site, increasing to the north. An analysis of the variability of the potential for the use of cryogels showed that with a decrease in the absolute elevations of the landscape surface, the following trends are revealed: a) its increase for situations of stabilization and increase in the bearing capacity of soil foundations of objects, prevention of exogenous processes, optimization of the filtration properties of soils of natural and technical systems, formation of a heat-insulating screen, reclamation of disturbed areas in the northern taiga; b) its decrease with the development of solifluction processes and the reclamation of disturbed areas in the forest-tundra and tundra.