September 10, 2018

Power of Siberia Pipeline - Permafrost Hazard Assessment Study

In July-August 2018, MPI researchers conducted a reconnaissance survey along the Power of Siberia Pipeline corridor in southern Yakutia as part of a 2018-2020 research project to study changes to permafrost conditions and assess the potential effects of related hazards on linear infrastructure under changing climatic conditions (Project PI: V.V. Samsonova). Five field teams worked in the Chayanda, Skovorodino, Nimnyr, Aldan and Tynda areas focusing on permafrost terrain features, icings, and rock streams. In total, 410 sites were examined, of which 30 were identified as the greatest problem areas requiring further drilling and geophysical investigations in 2019-2020. In addition to icings and rockstreams, potential hazards along the pipeline were found to be subsurface erosion, thermokarst and gullying. 1:5,000-scale permafrost terrain maps and permafrost indicator tables were compiled. Hazard assessment of thermokarst, subsurface erosion, thermal suffosion, icing development and associated processes was made for the construction and operation stages of the Power of Siberia Pipeline.