Geographic characteristics of the black-caspian seas region

Abstract

Existing and planned oil and gas pipelines cross or should cross the Caspian and Black Seas, the Caucasus, Mountains in Turkey and Iran, the Karakum Desert, and numerous rivers. Analysis of natural factors causing emergency situations becomes the key issue in assessment of environmental risks. In the Caspian Sea, such natural factors include storms, ice conditions in the Northern Caspian, sea level change, surges, extreme waves, coastal zone flooding, and hazardous geological and geomorphological conditions, such as earthquakes, gas saturated zones, etc. In the Black Sea, these are big depths, hydrosulfide layer deeper than 100 m, unstable sediments on the continental slope and earthquakes. Mountains in Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, and Russia represent natural barriers for construction and exploitation of pipelines. This chapter briefly reviews main geographic characteristics in the Black-Caspian Seas Region which impede construction of land and offshore oil and gas pipelines.