Abstract
The working group WG398 of technical subcommittee ISO/TC67/SC7 has completed development of a new standard for geotechnical soil investigation (ISO 19901–8). The task has being carried out in the frame of complex offshore structure requirements development for petroleum and natural gas industries (series ISO 19901. Petroleum and natural gas industries — Specific requirements for offshore structures — Part 8: Marine soil investigations). The new standard is planned to be commissioned in 2014. It should be of interest to compare international and Russian practices in the area of offshore soil investigations, particularly at Arctic shelf with severe climate.
Traditionally in Russia requirements for engineering survey (scope and kinds of work) are defined by various normatives which have the state status (state and industrial standards, regulations, recommendations, guides etc.). On the other hand this kind of unification is more likely exclusion around the world (in particular national standards of USA, Norway and others); with more typical specifications and rules of some companies, institutes, societies, regional and inter-regional organisations. However shelf development is very global process, deleting boundaries and contributing integration of knowledge, experience and efforts. Therefore motion toward unification seems to be logical and expedient (under umbrella of International and European organizations for Standardization, ISO and CEN).
