615 
Soviet Union produced about 230,000 barrels per day of offshore 
oil while the United States produced almost 1,400,000 barrels per 
day. '*8 Both countries have good to excellent offshore oil and gas 
prospects, and both will no doubt succeed in producing more liquid 
hydrocarbons from the oceans in the years to come. 
Gradual exhaustion of on-land oil reserves resulted in the early 
development of offshore exploration and production technology in 
the United States. The United States is undoubtedly the world leader 
in offshore exploration, drilling, and production technology. 
The Soviet Union still has vast proved and probable reserves of 
oil and natural gas on-land. Until recently, it was not hard-pressed 
to accelerate offshore oil production in view of its ample onshore 
capacity. Technological and capital limitations on the development 
of Siberian oil and gas resources, however, together with knowledge 
of large oil reserves in the Caspian Sea and other offshore areas, 
led to the development of a plan to complete a series of 10 jack- 
up drilling rigs by 1980. The first jack-up rig was in the summer 
of 1976. It capsized and sunk during the second drilling effort in 
the Caspian Sea. 1® The accident has reportedly resulted in further 
delay in the second rig in the series while Soviet engineers reassess 
the log specifications. 17° Soviet planners are aware that they will not 
be able to double offshore oil production by 1985 unless they import 
more Western-designed drilling rigs. More advanced semisubmersible 
rigs (used to drill in deeper waters) have been ordered in the West; 
a domestically-designed semi-submersible is expected to start work 
in the Caspian Sea prior to 1980. '”? 
A sophisticated geological survey ship, with dynamic positioning 
to allow core drilling in 600 meters of water and equipped with 
‘a normal rotary drill and vibrating core drilling equipment, has been 
supplied to the U.S.S.R. by France. !” Other countries, including the 
United States, are also selling the Soviet Union advanced drilling 
rigs and equipment, pipe laying barges, and other offshore oil and 
gas drilling and production equipment. 
The Soviet Union is anxious to develop offshore oil and gas drilling 
and production technology, not only to develop domestic resources, 
but to assist developing nations in reducing their dependence on 
Western technology. It currently lacks the technology necessary for 
this purpose. 
In the area of ocean mining technology, the West is also generally 
more advanced. Soviet mining technology development, however, is 
advancing at a rapid pace. The U.S.S.R. is currently exploiting placer 
deposits (e.g., tin and titanium-bearing sands) and extracting bromine 
and magnesium from sea water. It does not possess manganese mining 
technology but is in the process of acquiring such a capability. Even 
though the Soviet Union is much less dependent on the importation 
of key industrial minerals than Western industrial nations, it is insistent 
on developing a major offshore mining capability. Various indicators 
168 Joseph P. Riva, “Soviet Offshore Oil and Gas,” p. 353. U.S. Department of the Interior, Geolog- 
ical Survey, Outer Continental Shelf Statistics, 1953-75, Washington, D.C., June 1976, p. 89. 
169 Ocean Oil Weekly Report, July 5, 1976. 
170 [bid. 
111 Ocean Oil Weekly Report, June 28, 1976. 
172 Joseph P. Riva, “Soviet Offshore Oil and Gas,” op. cit., p. 363. 
69-315 © - 76 -- 41 
