Weather forecastingIce management Physical and environmental data managementData collected is entered into Provincial Airlines ice management trajectory modeling program.

Using complex mathematical modeling systems, combining wind and wave elements of the weather forecast with the physical and environmental information gathered in the field, they can predict iceberg movement and identify those which may drift close to the production area.Icebergs that require intervention are tackled proactively while they are still 20 km or more away from the platform. The platform support vessels encircle the iceberg with a long cable or rope - much like a giant lasso - and tow the iceberg into a different trajectory. It is not necessary to tow the iceberg very far, as even a slight nudge to an iceberg at that distance will change its course considerably over a 20 km drift. Close encounters with icebergs could, however, force the platform to stop production and actual contact may require repairs afterward. As well, any bottom-scouring iceberg could potentially cause damage to the platform’s Offshore Loading System (OLS), a network of oil transmission pipelines on the ocean floor. For this reason, the OLS pipeline has been encased in concrete for additional protection. A redundant OLS system is in place to serve as an auxiliary, in the unlikely event that the other system is damaged.Hibernia’s approach to ice management then is two-fold. Firstly, state-of-the-art technology is being deployed to prevent iceberg collision. Secondly, both the platform and the OLS are designed to withstand such a collision - if it should ever happen - with an overriding emphasis on safety and the environment.