“There were some interesting presentations on new methods of seismic exploration, development of the Nautilus deep sea mining ship, and modifying existing deepwater drill ships for deep sea mining operations”, says Christian von der Ohe, who represented GCE NODE at the conference.
“There is little concrete information regarding other commercial projects than the Nautilus project outside Papa New Guinea. It seems like everyone is waiting to see if Nautilus succeeds with their technological solutions and financing”, says von der Ohe.
Key topics at the conference included:
- The economic landscape and drivers for growth in deep sea mining.
- Achieving sustainable seabed mining projects in harmony with nature.
- New exploration and mining projects underway, the latest frontline feedback.
- Working with nations through a regulatory framework, the opportunities and risks
- New technological developments associated with commercializing deep sea mining
“We see a lot of research driven by academia. Some are calling for more involvement from the industry related to research and exploration activities if one is to identify commercial areas. For mining investors, such activities are more costly compared with mining on land, and deep sea mining must also be done in other environmental frameworks and in accordance with new regulations”, says von der Ohe.
A broader update from the conference will be given at GCE NODE’s DeSMO meeting on December 2nd. DeSMO is a pre-study to build competence on deep sea mining and identify market and advanced technological R&D opportunities for NODE-companies. It is financed by RFF Agder. To participate, please contact Christian von der Ohe or Marit Dolmen.
