Researchers examine bottom of strange crater in N Siberia

Russian researchers for the first time have reached the bottom of the strange large crater on the Yamal Peninsula, northwest Siberia, the press service of the regional government told TASS.

China, Russia start construction of gas pipeline (the Sila Sibiri pipeline)

China and Russia on Monday started the construction of a joint natural gas pipeline in Russia's eastern Siberia, in implementation of a natural gas supply contract signed between the two countries.

Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli and Russian President Vladimir Putin jointly witnessed the welding of the first roll of pipes on the Russian part of the China-Russia East Route natural gas pipeline in Yakutsk, the capital city of Russia's Sakha (Yakutia) Republic.

Russia, China inch toward another gas contract

Russia and China could soon sign another major contract on gas pipeline construction project after they signed a landmark 30-year gas deal in Shanghai during Russian President Vladimir Putin's state visit in May, a senior Russian official said Wednesday.

"Given the pace of Chinese economic growth ... with an agreement upon the compromise (gas) price formulas having been achieved, it is very likely that a contract could also be signed in the very near future for the construction of a western route ( gas pipeline) that will fully cross the Siberian Federal District, " Russian presidential administration chief Sergei Ivanov told reporters in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk.

Shale revolution a la Russe: Shell, Gazprom Neft start fracking in Siberia

Shell and Gazprom Neft have started testing the shale potential of the Bazhenov formation in Russia’s Western Siberia. It's known to be one of world’s largest gas deposits.
The venture between Shell and Gazprom Neft called the Salym Petroleum Development has started drilling the first horizontal appraisal well in Upper Salym. It’s part of a pilot project which will need a further five horizontal appraisal wells within the next two years using multi-fracturing technology, says a company statement.

Η νέα απειλή λέγεται μεθάνιο./ Ticking Arctic Carbon Bomb May Be Bigger Than Thought

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Παγιδευμένο στο εσωτερικό των μόνιμων πάγων της Σιβηρίας
Ενδιαφέροντα, αλλά και ανησυχητικά ευρήματα σχετικά με το επικίνδυνο για τον πλανήτη αέριο.

ΕΡΕΥΝΕΣ τα τελευταία χρόνια έχουν προσπαθήσει να εκτιμήσουν τις επιπτώσεις που θα έχει στον πλανήτη η διαρροή μεθανίου στην ατμόσφαιρα.

Εφιαλτικό σενάριο για το λιώσιμο των πάγων της Σιβηρίας/Ticking Arctic Carbon Bomb May Be Bigger Than Thought

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[Methane gas locked inside Siberia's frozen soil and under its lakes is currently being released at a dangerous rate. Scientists believe it can pose threat to the world's climate. However the lack of data over a long period of time casts uncertainty over the extent of the threat. More than 50 billion tons of methane could be unleashed from Siberian lakes alone.  ............]

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Στοιχεία που προέκυψαν από μελέτη σε σπηλιές της Σιβηρίας μαρτυρούν ότι αύξηση της παγκόσμιας θερμοκρασίας κατά μόλις 1,5 βαθμούς Κελσίου μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε λιώσιμο ενός μεγάλου μέρους των μόνιμου στρώματος πάγου της περιοχής. Ποιες συνέπειες θα μπορούσε να έχει μια τέτοια εξέλιξη; Έκλυση σημαντικής ποσότητας αερίων του θερμοκηπίου στην ατμόσφαιρα και σημαντικές καταστροφές στους αγωγούς πετρελαίου και αερίου, ακόμη και σε κτίρια ή δρόμους, σύμφωνα με νέα δημοσίευση στην επιθεώρηση «Science».