In the Black Sea, the burning of gas wells of the Odesa field increased
7.11.2024 - 14:46
From the coast of Crimea to Zmiinyi (Snake) Island, gas burning from wells of the Odesa field intensified, which has been going on for more than two years.
Next to the Russian-captured drilling rigs and block-conductors on the shelf, continuous gas leakage is recorded, which forms new “hot” points. The Center for Journalistic Investigations writes about it.
After the annexation of Crimea, Russia turned offshore platforms in the northwestern part of the Black Sea into military facilities for radio-electronic and hydroacoustic reconnaissance. During the special operation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in September 2023, Ukraine returned control of the Chornomornaftogaz rigs near the coast of Crimea. However, as a result of the fighting, as of October 30, 2024, columns of smoke are visible at four of the 14 objects, and some of them have been burning since June 2022.
For example, one of the block conductors at the Odesa deposit, located about 50 km from Zmiinyi island, continues to burn for the third autumn. In June 2022, the Russian occupation authorities reported an attack by the Armed Forces in the area, which caused damage to the Tavrida drilling rig, captured by the Russians back in 2014.
According to satellite data, another platform began to smoke on August 10, 2024, which coincides with the missile attack of the Armed Forces Navy on captured objects. The Russian side has equipped the platform with EW systems to disrupt navigation and safety of shipping, and Defense Express suggests that it could have been Offshore Stationary Platform #17.
The third fire broke out in early August 2024 on a platform near the western coast of Crimea. A fire was recorded on the nearby platform on October 30, 2024.
Neither Ukraine nor Russia have officially commented on the new fires at marine facilities. However, on October 29, the occupation administration of Crimea admitted that the Chornomornaftogaz company had stopped exploiting fields in the Black Sea due to strikes by the Ukrainian Defense Forces. According to the Russians, this led to a 28.1% decrease in mineral extraction in the occupied Crimea.
A month ago, USM wrote that the Armed Forces hit a captured gas tower in the Black Sea. The Russian invaders used the platform, in particular, to distort the GPS signals of offending vessels.
