ExxonMobil and Rosneft signed a Declaration on Protection of the Environment and Biodiversity for Oil and Gas Exploration and Development on the Russian Arctic Continental Shelf.

The declaration was signed during a meeting between Igor Sechin, president and chairman of the management board of Rosneft, and Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corporation, and senior managers from both organizations.

The declaration sets out measures to help protect the Arctic’s ecosystems during oil and gas exploration and development activities to be undertaken by Rosneft and its partners.

Commenting on the signing, Sechin said, “Rosneft and ExxonMobil have worked together effectively for quite a long time. I am grateful to Rex Tillerson for the decision to join the initiative.”

Tillerson said, “We seek to manage the impact on the environment wherever we operate through continuous improvements in technology and operational procedures. We support Rosneft’s initiative and will work with them and other industry representatives to protect the environment in the Russian Arctic.”

The parties have agreed to form a joint working group to consider establishing a coordination center that may include representatives of Roskosmos, the Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of the Russian Federation for Civil Defense, Emergencies and Elimination of Consequences of Natural Disasters. The coordination center would coordinate activities to protect biodiversity including observing principles and recommendations of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the standards set by IPIECA, the global oil and gas industry association for environmental and social issues.

Press Release, December 07, 2012; Image: Rosneft