Additive technologies as a tool for sustainable material and technical support of Arctic oil and gas fields

In this study, we aim to establish the managerial decisions needed to make additive manufacturing a  sustainable mechanism for the material and technical support of Arctic oil and gas fields and to develop a set of measures ensuring its industrial scale-up by 2030. The research focuses on the Yamal and Gydan peninsulas and the Kara Sea shelf, where the transportation period is short and supply costs are at their highest. The research methodology comprises a diagnostic map of supply-chain risks; a systemdynamics simulation model to assess the impact of additive manufacturing on equipment downtime; and a mixed-integer optimization procedure to determine the optimal placement of printing capacity and the size of safety stocks. Managerial validation employs a  stakeholder matrix, the expert-assessment method, and a stage-gate control process, ensuring continuous monitoring of project maturity and timely adjustment of the investment portfolio. The conducted simulation of eight operating fields showed that shifting to a distributed print-on-demand network in combination with an electronic register of digital part models and situational monitoring reduces the average equipment downtime by 36%, the total logistics costs by 18%, and carbon-dioxide emissions by 15%. The logistics-risk index decreases from 0.42 to 0.27, while the technical readiness factor increases to 0.96. Workingcapital savings reach 24%; predictive analytics reduces unplanned purchases by 13%; and the net present value remains positive even if metal-powder prices increase by up to 30%.

The practical significance of the study is reflected in a  comprehensive action program that includes the creation of an inter-corporate consortium for sharing digital specifications, adoption of a “print-ready” standard, accreditation of powder suppliers, a two-level personnel-training system, and preferential financing for regional printing centers. The proposed measures align technological, economic, and environmental objectives, reinforce the resilience of northern infrastructure, and foster the emergence of new manufacturing clusters in the Arctic. The conclusions are supported by sensitivity analysis.

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