Joe Bohler. Chasing Color. 2015

☀️ In today's #ICESRM_recommends section, we present a watercolour painting by American artist Joe Boler titled 'Chasing Color'

👨‍🎨 Joe Bohler is a well-known artist who is dedicated to Western themes. His works bring scenes from the era of the American West to life, depicting gold miners, cowboys, hunters and pioneers. Boler has received numerous awards for this body of work at prestigious exhibitions, including the Prix de West

☀️ This painting depicts an elderly gold prospector panning for gold in a river. Particular attention has been paid to the details of his attire, from his distinctive hat and waistcoat to his high boots, all of which are characteristic of the clothing worn by 19th-century prospectors

🏞 Washing rock in a trough is a traditional method of extracting placer gold, whereby the prospector manually separates the heavy gold particles from the sand due to their density

☀️ ICE-SRM

#art #painting #goldprospectors #West #geology

Weekly digest (19–25 January)

⚡️ If you missed any of the key events in science, technology or geology over the past week, don't worry — we've compiled all the most important and interesting articles for you here:

⚡️ Kazan scientists have proposed a new method for improving the quality of heavy oil

⚡️ Kazakhstan is intensifying its geological exploration for gold and rare earth metals

⚡️ Rosneft is developing seismic forecasting

⚡️ #ICESRM_recommends a painting by American artist Joe Boler titled 'Chasing Color'

☀️ ICE-SRM

#art #technology #investment #geology #economy

The global and Russian fuel and energy sector in the era of multipolarity: results for 2025

⚡️ The Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Alexander Novak, summarised the results for the global energy sector in 2025. Despite pressure from sanctions and active climate policy promotion, traditional energy sources remain dominant: demand for oil, gas and coal continues to grow, and electricity consumption is outpacing global economic growth

⚡️ The market is significantly influenced by countries in the Asia-Pacific region, as well as by the development of artificial intelligence, data centres, electric transport and industrial generation. At the same time, however, the risks of underinvestment in the oil and gas sector, as well as the restructuring of global supply chains, are increasing. Against this backdrop, Novak stated that Russia has retained its status as a guarantor of global energy stability by adapting its export flows and consistently increasing its technological sovereignty

☀️ ICE-SRM experts: Alexander Novak's statement about the important role of the Asia-Pacific region in global energy confirms the region's objective significance for the formation of a new energy balance. For several years now, the ICE-SRM has been developing cooperation with ESCAP, the United Nations' leading regional platform in the Asia-Pacific region. In September 2025, the ICE-SRM and ESCAP announced the launch of three expert dialogues, one of which is aimed at developing energy sustainability

⚡️ For more details on the results, see the article

☀️ ICE-SRM

#FEC #energy #Russia #APR #EnergyStrategy2050 #oil #gas #coal

Kuzbass expects coal production to increase in 2026

📧 At the end of 2025, coal production in the region amounted to 190.7 million tonnes, a 3.9% decrease on the previous year. Coal exports also declined slightly, with shipments decreasing by around 0.2%. The regional administration notes that the industry continued to adapt to challenging external economic and logistical conditions throughout the year

📊 According to the most optimistic scenario, coal production in Kuzbass could rise by 3.2% in 2026, with exports potentially increasing by almost 15%. The region is negotiating with Russian Railways to guarantee the export of at least 60 million tonnes of coal to the east

☀️ ICE-SRM experts: the projected growth in Kuzbass's coal production is in line with Russia's Energy Strategy until 2050, which considers coal to be an important element of the country's energy security. The decisive factors are the stability of logistics and infrastructure, and a coordinated policy with Russian Railways to ensure stable exports, rather than the increase in volumes

☀️ ICE-SRM

#Kuzbass #coal #coalmining #exports #RussianRailways #energy #economy

China launches world's largest compressed air power station

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The world's largest compressed air energy storage facility has opened in Jiangsu Province. It accumulates excess electricity at night and converts it into electricity during the day, providing a stable energy supply to hundreds of thousands of households. The system uses underground caves to compress and store air, which is then used to rotate turbines when energy demand increases

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Such stations help to stabilise fluctuations in energy production from wind and solar power, transforming intermittent sources into a consistent supply of electricity. Additionally, this technology is durable and cost-effective, making it a promising option for large-scale implementation

☀️ ICE-SRM experts: the launch of this facility demonstrates how large-scale technological solutions can transform unstable energy sources into a reliable and predictable flow of electricity. These storage systems increase grid stability and open up new opportunities for the large-scale development of renewable energy

☀️ ICE-SRM

#energy #China #technology #energytransition

Restoring land after oil production

🌎 Scientists at the St. Petersburg Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences have proposed an effective approach to reclaiming areas disturbed by drilling in Western Siberia. For the first time in Russia, ecosystems have been created at oil production sites that surpass existing natural communities in terms of biodiversity and productivity

🌲 This method involves using peat and planting pine seedlings with a closed root system. In flooded areas, willow and cattail are also planted. Long-term observations have revealed the arrival of animals and birds on reclaimed sites, the development of stable forest communities, and the consolidation of the soil. This approach was implemented in collaboration with Surgutneftegaz

☀️ ICE-SRM experts: modern reclamation technologies can reduce environmental damage caused by oil production and create landscapes. This experience is particularly important for Western Siberia, where most of the oil production is concentrated and a long-term environmental balance is required

☀️ ICE-SRM

#ecology #oilproduction #reclamation #science #WesternSiberia #sustainabledevelopment

Ekaterina Tyutina-Zaykova. Looking into Tomorrow's Morning. 2018

☀️ In the #ICESRM_recommends section - the painting "Looking into Tomorrow's Morning" by Ekaterina Tyutina-Zaykova (2018)

👩‍🎨 Ekaterina Tyutina-Zaykova is a Russian artist, graduated with honors from the professional lyceum in the profession "artist-designer" and the Russian State Vocational Pedagogical University in the direction of "art design". Her art covers the genres of landscape and portrait, and her works adorn collections in Russia and abroad

⛽️ The painting is an oil-on-canvas work in the style of realism with elements of impressionism, depicting a worker in a hard hat and blue jacket, contemplating a flaming gas torch on an oil rig amidst a coniferous forest, mountains, and an open field at sunset. The contrast between nature and industry is emphasized by the soft, blurred strokes used for the sky and distant plans, in contrast to the detailed rendering of the figure and equipment. The muted palette of blue, orange, and green evokes melancholy and tension

☑️ The title itself, "Looking into Tomorrow's Morning," carries a philosophical undertone. The worker, gazing at the oil rig, seems to be contemplating the future, pondering the development of technology and the balance between progress and nature

☀️ ICE-SRM

#art #painting #industriallandscape #geology #contemporaryart

Weekly digest (26 January –01 February)

⚡️ The main events of the past week in science, technology, and geology - all the most interesting things below:

⚡️ The global and Russian fuel and energy sector in the era of multipolarity: results for 2025

⚡️ Kuzbass expects coal production to increase in 2026

⚡️ China launches world's largest compressed air power station

⚡️ Restoring land after oil production

⚡️ #ICESRM_recommends section - the painting "Looking into Tomorrow's Morning" by Ekaterina Tyutina-Zaykova (2018)

☀️ ICE-SRM

#art #technology #investment #geology #economy

Japan extracts rare earth elements from a depth of 6,000 metres for the first time

🚢 The country has successfully extracted deposits containing rare earth elements from this depth in the Pacific Ocean. This work was carried out in the Minami-Torishima area by the research vessel Chikyu. This is the world's first confirmed extraction of strategic raw materials at such an extreme depth

🧪 Japanese specialists are now conducting a detailed analysis of the samples collected, including determining the composition and concentration of rare earth elements. These metals are widely used in the production of equipment for renewable energy, electronics, and energy-efficient technologies. The data obtained will help assess the potential of deep-sea resources and their possible applications

☀️ ICE-SRM experts: successfully extracting rare earth elements from such great depths is an important step in developing marine research and extraction technologies. This project contributes to expanding scientific knowledge about ocean resources and could lay the groundwork for more environmentally controlled approaches to supplying raw materials to industries focused on sustainable and green development

☀️ ICE-SRM

#Japan #rareearthmetals #resources #technologies

The environmental approaches adopted by Gazprom Neft could become industry standards

🏭 The company has stated that its new long-term environmental programme, which runs until 2035, aims to go beyond mere compliance with regulations by taking a more rigorous and systematic approach to environmental protection. Its main principles are reducing impact faster than regulatory requirements demand, eliminating risks in advance and actively introducing new technologies

🥦 The programme covers atmospheric emissions, waste management, water resource management, and ecosystem conservation, particularly in the Arctic and in production regions. Key goals include the complete elimination of industrial waste disposal by 2030, a 40% reduction in emissions by 2035, and the transition to zero discharge of contaminated effluents

☀️ ICE-SRM experts: Gazprom Neft's environmental strategy demonstrates that companies are increasingly investing in long-term environmental reduction rather than one-off projects. It is important that the programme covers the entire business chain, from production to processing, and is backed by practical technologies, ranging from waste processing to AI-controlled pipelines

☀️ ICE-SRM

#ecology #GazpromNeft #sustainabledevelopment #industry #Arctic

Russia and Madagascar are expanding their cooperation in the energy sector

⚡️ The First Deputy Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, Pavel Sorokin, held a working meeting with Madagascar's Minister of Mining. The two ministers discussed the prospects for bilateral cooperation in various sectors of the fuel and energy complex

⚡️ Particular attention was paid to developing the electric power industry, including projects in renewable energy sources, primarily solar power. The Russian side confirmed its readiness to implement joint initiatives, and representatives of Madagascar expressed interest in expanding cooperation

☀️ ICE-SRM experts: strengthening the energy dialogue with African countries is in line with Russia's foreign policy priorities, which are aimed at expanding multilateral cooperation and the practical implementation of joint energy and technology projects

☀️ ICE-SRM

#energy #renewableenergysources #internationalcooperation

Saveliy Kamsky: ‘Oil Production.’ 2022

☀️ In the #ICESRM_recommends section, we present a painting by the contemporary artist Saveliy Kamsky entitled 'Oil Production'.

👨‍🎨 Saveliy Kamsky is a painter who graduated from the I. D. Shadra Art School in Sverdlovsk and continued his studies at the European Academy of Arts (EAS) in Warsaw. He participates in exhibitions in Poland, Germany, Spain, Ukraine and the USA, and his works are held in private collections in Europe, Asia and America

🛢 ‘Oil Production’ is executed in a realistic manner. The canvas depicts oil rigs and giant machinery against a sunset sky. Although industrial themes are more often associated with XX century Soviet painting, Kamsky approaches them from the perspective of a contemporary artist, focusing on technical details such as the metal structures of oil rigs and the elongated arms of pumps against the backdrop of a bright sunset

☑️ We have previously covered the subject of oil production in this column with regard to Vitaly Kasatkin: “Western Siberia: Oil Production'. 2008. However, Kasatkin experiments with the material by using oil and petroleum products in his paintings, thereby transforming the industrial subject into an exploration of the texture, colour, and physical presence of 'black gold' in art

☀️ ICE-SRM

#art #painting #oil #industriallandscape

⚡️️️️10 February is Diplomatic Workers' Day in Russia ⚡️️️️

⚡️️️️ The International Centre of Excellence on Sustainable Resource Management would like to congratulate the staff and veterans of the Russian Federation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as representatives of diplomatic missions, on this significant day

⚡️️️️ It has been a privilege for us to work closely with the Russian Foreign Ministry, embassies and consular offices for many years, promoting international initiatives, expert dialogues and practical cooperation at the UN, BRICS and other multilateral forums. We greatly value this partnership and are confident that many more significant joint projects await us in the future

☀️ ICE-SRM

⚡️️️️️️ A minute of useful information: We often talk about joint projects with UNESCAP — now let's take a closer look at who they are and what they do ⚡️️️️️️

🇺🇳 The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) is one of the United Nations' five regional commissions, uniting over 50 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and the CIS, including China, India, and Vietnam. The Commission promotes sustainable development, energy transition, resource management, infrastructure development and economic resilience in the region

⚡️️️️️️ Since 2023, our Centre has been actively developing cooperation with UNESCAP. A significant milestone was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and a cooperation agreement to implement joint programmes

⚡️️️️️️ As part of the partnership, the ICE-SRM and UNESCAP hold international events, webinars, and working meetings at UN venues in Geneva and Bangkok to develop practical solutions for Asian and CIS countries, and to strengthen regional cooperation

⚡️️️️️️ We will soon be announcing new joint projects with UNESCAP – watch this space! ⚡️️️️️️️

☀️ ICE-SRM

⚡️️️ 5 YEARS OF ICE-SRM: From an idea to international tools for sustainable resource management ⚡️️️

⚡️️️ Five years ago, the ICE-SRM became the world's first International Centre of Excellence in Sustainable Natural Resource Management! It is now part of an international network, with ICE-SRM's established in Europe, the United Kingdom, Armenia, Kazakhstan and Mexico

⚡️️️ Today, the ICE-SRM:

💠 Implements projects in collaboration with the UNECE and UNESCAP, as well as in partnership with geological services, universities, and expert organisations
⚡️️️ The ICE-SRM regularly participates in and organises events at UN venues
⚡️️️ It conducts international training programmes
⚡️️️ Organises expert dialogues on key areas of sustainable development

💠 Participates in the harmonisation of mineral classifications
⚡️️️ Updated the Linking Document between the Russian classification of reserves and the UNFC
⚡️️️ Prepared the Linking Document between the classifications of Russia and Belarus

💠 Develops specialised software
⚡️️️ Created the world's first Global Reserves and Resources Converter, which automatically converts between RKZ, UNFS and PRMS. This tool has been presented at BRICS and UN platforms as a solution for international data comparability

💠 Develops unique documents in the field of subsoil use
⚡️️️ Has made amendments to the Model Code on Subsoil and Subsoil Use for CIS member states, establishing requirements for experts on mineral reserves
⚡️️️ Has prepared and approved model requirements for experts and competent persons
⚡️️️ Has prepared and agreed upon a binding document (explanatory note) between the Model Requirements for Experts and Competent Persons of the CIS and the UN Recommendations

💠 Preparing industry documents
⚡️️️ Methodological recommendations on the application of probabilistic assessment of hydrocarbon reserves have been developed

⚡️️️ Five years — that's results, recognition and working solutions. And ahead lie scaling, new countries and new technologies ⚡️️️

☀️ ICE-SRM

⚡️️️️️️️ ️️️️️️️️FUTURE ENERGY AND PRESENT RESOURCES: EXPERT DIALOGUES FOR THE ASIA-PACIFIC REGION ⚡️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️

➡️ February 25, 2026 | Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand

⚡️️️️️️ As part of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development 2026, ICE-SRM, in collaboration with UNESCAP and UNECE, will host a side event to launch a series of international expert dialogues focused on sustainable resource management and energy resilience in the Asia-Pacific region (APR)

⚡️️️️️️ Key focus areas of the dialogues:

💠 Development of an international expert community, building competencies, and certification in resource management
💠 Dissemination and practical application of UNFC and UNRMS
💠 Advancing approaches to energy resilience and sustainability assessment at all project life-cycle stages

⚡️️️️️️ "The Asia-Pacific region today plays a vital role in shaping the new global energy balance," as previously noted by Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation

⚡️️️️️️ This side event at APFSD-2026 will serve as the starting point for these expert dialogues, bringing together representatives of international organizations, government bodies, academia, and the professional community to develop joint solutions for sustainable development and resource management

☀️ ICE-SRM

⚡️️️️️ Director General Aleksey Gribanov has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation! ⚡️️️️️

⚡️️️️️ The award was presented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmitry Lyubinsky in recognition of professional contribution and effective work in the field of international cooperation

⚡️️️️️ For ICE-SRM, this represents significant and prestigious recognition of our organization's activities at the state level

☀️ ICE-SRM

▪️GAS OF RUSSIA 2026▪️

👨‍🎓 Today, Moscow is hosting the International Forum "Gas of Russia 2026" – "Human Resources Development in the Oil and Gas Industry," organised by the Russian Gas Society with the participation of Gazprom as the General Partner

✍️ Natalia Bazarevskaya, Head of the Project Group at the ICE-SRM, is attending the forum. The discussion will focus on human resource sustainability in the industry and improving professional training

📢 Our Centre is implementing an advanced training programme based on a model programme approved by the Intergovernmental Council for the Exploration, Use and Protection of Subsoil Resources of the CIS in 2024: 'Expertise and Audit of Mineral Reserves'

📗 Upon completion of the training, a state-approved certificate of advanced training will be issued

☀️ ICE-SRM

⚡️️️ Friends, we have some important news! We are delighted to announce a significant milestone for our team and all those interested in sustainable development! ⚡️️️

🤝 On 25 February 2026, the International Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Development of Natural Resources officially became a member of the UN Global Compact!

☑️ Joining this major international initiative confirms our commitment to high standards of responsible business conduct

📈 For our Centre, whose mission is to promote sustainable resource use and support education, participating in the Global Compact opens up new opportunities. It's not just a declaration of values; it's the integration of sustainable development principles into our strategy and daily work

🌍 We would like to thank the UN Global Compact Network in Russia for their support and warm welcome. We look forward to actively participating in joint projects and sharing best practices. There is a lot of work ahead, and we are happy to do it with like-minded people

☀️ ICE-SRM

🩷Dear ladies! 🩷

💓 Please accept our most sincere congratulations on International Women's Day on 8 March! This holiday is filled with warmth, light, and a special springtime atmosphere. On this day, we would like to express our gratitude for your wisdom, kindness, patience and inspiration, which you generously share with those around you

🩷 You successfully combine professionalism, responsibility and talent with caring for your loved ones, creating an atmosphere of support, comfort and mutual understanding. Thanks to your energy, attention and warmth, many important things become possible and the world becomes a kinder, more harmonious place

🩷 On behalf of our centre, we wish you all the best. Happy spring, beauty and inspiration! Happy International Women's Day!

☀️ ICE-SRM