Onshore Hostile Environments
Canadian development companies have used Arctic conditions to their advantage. Ice-based or ice-insulated roads over muskeg, temporary drilling pads and airstrips are used extensively in northern projects. These options are cost-efficient and leave few impacts on the land. Exploration companies can extend drilling operations beyond the regular season and reduce equipment mobilization costs.
Canadian manufacturers are among the world's largest suppliers of heavy-duty land and amphibious vehicles to resource-based and other industries. These specialized vehicles are designed for use in severe winter and summer conditions in Arctic tundra, bogs, muskeg and deserts. Applications include:
- geophysical exploration
- oil rig transport
- pipeline repair and construction
- utility repair and construction
Canadian exploration companies in the Arctic regions have pioneered techniques to cope with extremely inhospitable environments such as:
- An engineered coiled tubing unit - specially designed for helicopter use. Helicopters are used extensively in the Arctic and mountainous territory to transport personnel, supplies and equipment.
- Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) - used to monitor ice roads. These geographic information systems merge satellite imaging and aerial photographs. The ice thickness and maximum safe vehicle weight are colour coded to route drivers around danger spots.
- Global Positioning Systems (GPR), Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) mapping systems and digital cameras - used for digital mapping, especially in remote and heavily wooded areas. These systems provide accurate mapping products, such as ortho-rectified maps and Digital Terrain Models (DTMs). Greater accuracy is achieved when mapping data is combined with a Geographic Information System (GIS) to generate a fully digital computerized mapping database.
