Rosneft Introduces Breakthrough Technology to Detect Oil Spills in the Arctic

Russia’s largest oil producer has unveiled a remote sensing system capable of identifying and classifying oil films on water surfaces with unprecedented accuracy, strengthening environmental monitoring in the Arctic.

Rosneft has taken a major step toward improving environmental safety in oil production by introducing a new technology for the remote detection and classification of oil spills. Developed by Russian scientists, the system is designed to raise environmental protection standards, particularly in Arctic offshore projects, according to Pervyy Tekhnicheskiy.

The key advantage of the technology is its exceptional precision. Its algorithms can not only detect the presence of a film on the water’s surface, but also distinguish its origin with unmatched detail—differentiating oil contamination from natural biogenic films, such as plankton waste, or from traces of shipping activity. This capability enables rapid, targeted responses to real threats, while minimizing false alarms and optimizing resources.

The effectiveness of this approach is already reflected in statistics. In the first half of 2025, Rosneft facilities achieved a significant improvement in industrial safety indicators.

At the same time, the company is continuing a large-scale program to replace outdated production pipelines, a key measure for preventing oil and petroleum product spills.