Offshore staff

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A fourth joint project to map the Arctic Ocean continental shelf by the United States and Canada is now complete. The 2011 mission covered 5,600 mi (9,012 km) total and went 1,230 mi (1,980 mi) north of the Alaskan coast.

Purpose of the survey is to determine the extent of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles (230 mi, or 370 km).

The project lasted six weeks and used an icebreaker vessel from each country. Each vessel had different tools for the job. The USCG Cutter Healy has a multibeam echo-sounder while the Canadian Louis S. St-Laurent collected seismic data.

01/25/2012