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Protection of lake Ecological monitoring Components of the environment and natural resources Ubsoil hydrocarbon travelHydrocarbons Migration
The data were provided by the following organizations: Siberia Branch of Rosgeolfond FGUNPP
The immersion of hydrocarbons has been registered in the Baikal Lake for 250 years. Most actively the researches have been performed into the hydrocarbons systems of the Baikal Lake have been performed during the 30-s, 50-s, 90-s years of the 20th century, primarily with the purpose of locating oil and gas fields. During the 21st century the research into the hydrocarbons deposits in the Baikal Region has been performed, mainly, by the scientific organizations.
The hydrocarbon system in the Baikal Region feature:
- Combustible gas;
- Oil;
- Oil bitumens;
- Gas crystal-hydrates;
- "Mud" volcanoes;
- Hydrocarbon gases, diluted in the water;
- Hydrocarbon gases of bottom sediments;
The generation of the hydrocarbons takes place because of the favorable coincidence of all geological factors of the oil and gas presence: tectonic, lithological, stratigraphical, geochemical, hydrogeological and thermodynamical.
The natural immersion of the oil and gas in the Baikal Region may pose a serious threat.
The immersion of the combustible gases from the bottom across several area of the Baikal Lake basin during the winter season has set up the wash-through areas within the ice cover, where frequently results in the deaths.
There is a need to arrange the monitoring and mapping of the hazardous ice areas in the Baikal Region and communicate the information to the local population, fishers, tourists as regards the hazards.
The gas-hydrates, present at the bottom of the Baikal Lake, play an important environmental role.
The disturbances in the gas-hydrate layer may cause large-scale immersion of methane into the lake, which will results in the environmental catastrophe.
There is a need for a research in the degree of hydro-fluid sustainability of gas-hydrate layer at the bottom of the Baikal Lake in the environment of exclusively high dynamics of modern geological processes occurrences.
The detailed general information on the hydrocarbon systems of the Baikal Lake and the features of their exploration are presented in the 2007 report (pages 151-153).
In 2012, the data, obtained, including within the 2008-2010 International Scientific and Research Expedition "Worlds" at the Baikal Lake, was continued to be analyzed. In 2012, the following main results of the performed researches were published.
1) by the specialists of the Limnology Institute of the Siberian Branch of RAS and Institute of Biology of Internal Waters named after I.D.Papanina with RAW (Borok Settlement, Yaroslavskaya Region) there was performed a research in the species composition and quantitative features of the fauna of free-living nematodes (circle worms) in the area of natural oil immersion in the Gorevoy Utes basin (Middle Baikal). There were identified 34 species out of 17 genuses, 10 families and 8 orders, out o those 18 species -- Baikal endemics. It was found that the nematodes fauna of the bitumen build-ups is presented by three specialized species (Monhystera naphthera Gagarin et Naumova, 2010, Eumonhystera abyssalis Gagarin et Naumova, 2010 и Eutobrilus mirandus Gagarin et Naumova, 2011). There have been identified the Baikal endemic eurybathic species at the bottom area near sporadic oil immersion. The maximum values of density of nematodes habitats and their maximum share in the composition of the meisbentos have been recoded at the areas that are directly adjacent to the oil immersions. The research results have been published in the scientific journal "Internal Waters Biology" (2012, No. 2, pages 3-11);
specialists of the Limnology Institute of the Siberian Branch of RAS performed a research into the microbial communication in the oil unloading district in the Middle Baikal (Govevoy Utes Cape)
Within 2005-2009 there has been performed a research in the number of microorganisms that oxidize the hydrocarbons, oil and easily accessible substance in the water mass of the lake, bottom sediments and bitumen build-ups.
There has been identified a high degree of discontinuity of distribution of microorganisms, associated with dewaxing of oil at its discharge areas. There have been identified the maximum concentration levels of hydrocarbon oxidizing microorganisms in the near-bottom waters samples above the bitumen build-ups (up to 2,200 ± 175 CFU/ml) and directly in the bitumen build-ups (up to 170 ± 13 thou CFU/g). The model experiment has demonstrated that in the low temperature environment (4°С), the degradation of the n-alkanes of oil (paraphine hydrocarbons with normal structure) of the natural microbial community for 60 days has reached 90%. The research results have been published in scientific journal, Izvestia of RAS. Biological Series, 2012, No. 5, pages 540-545.
The importance and necessity in geological research of hazardous processes, associated with hydrocarbons migration in the Baikal lake, have been acknowledged in the Federal Target Programme "Protection of Baikal Lake and Social and Economical Development of the Baikal Natural Area within 2012-2020", which was approved by Regulation of the RF Government No. 847 dated August 21, 2012. Within the period from 2015 up to 2020, the programme provided for performance of Measure No. 56 "Geological Research into Hazardous Processes, Associated with Hydrocarbons Migration in the Central Ecological Area of the Baikal Natural Area", which shall include the following activities: establishment of 15 ground observation stations for hazardous processes, associated with hydrocarbons migration; development of the programs to monitor the hazardous processes, associated with hydrocarbons migration; development of the maps and databases of hazardous process; preparation of the annual analytics memorandums on the hazardous processes immersion dynamics, associated with hydrocarbons migration. The funds in the amount of 250 million rubles shall be disbursed for the above purposes.
Conclusions
1. The hydrocarbons systems of the Baikal Lake are insufficiently researched and may pose a hazard. There is a need in increasing the scope of the works to perform geological research and monitoring of hazardous processes immersion, associated with hydrocarbons migration.
2. The results of the scientific researches, published in 2012 in the field of the hydrocarbon system of Baikal, cover the research into the species composition of the fauna of the bottom areas with natural oil immersion, as well as a research into the territorial disturbance of hydrocarbon-oxidizing microorganisms in the Baikal Lake basin and their capabilities to process the oil hydrocarbons, which are transported to the lake from the natural oil immersion sites.
Source: the materials of the state report on the conditions of the Baikal Lake and measures for its protection in 2012 of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation.
In 2024, the Baikal Mile will be held from 6 to 8 June.
Taking part in the Baikal Mile is a great way to test your limits of possibilities and feel the breath of nature in one of the most beautiful places on earth.
In 2024, the festival of ice sculptures on Lake Baikal is scheduled for the period from February 15 to 28. During these two weeks, the lake shore will turn into a real open-air museum, where everyone will be able to enjoy sculptural masterpieces created from ice.
The portal has been created for FSBI ”Informational and Analytical Center for Development of Water Bodies and Associated Properties” under the special program “Protection of Lake Baikal and Socio-Economic Development of the Baikal Natural Preserve for 2012-2020.”
