Marine Arctic Geological Expedition was founded in Murmansk in 1972 in order to study geological structure and to determine hydrocarbon potential of the Arctic shelf of the Russian Federation. In 1994 the Expedition became a Joint Stock Company.

Since 1973 JSC “MAGE” has constantly performed regional geological – geophysical researches on the shelves of the Arctic Seas, in the World Ocean and Antarctic.

Just in the period from 2004 till 2011 JSC “MAGE” carried out regional geophysical researches (about 65 000 km) including 2D CMP reflection survey, refraction shooting, differential shipboard magnetic and gravity measurements by the order of the Russian Government. All the work performed in the northern part of the Barents Sea, southern water area of the Kara Sea, in the Laptev and White Seas allowed to determine new hydrocarbon areas and prospects, and of course it will contribute to the solution of the task concerning recovery of the Russian resource base. These considerable studies have been carried out up to the present moment.

There should be particularly noted investigations performed by JSC “MAGE” on Spitsbergen shelf (more than 13 000 km) as they are very important from geological and geopolitical points of view.

Besides, in 2010 JSC “MAGE” carried out high-resolution seismic surveys aimed at detection of shallow gas lens and pockets in Shtokman gas condensate field (the Barents Sea).

JSC “MAGE” carried out integrated geological – geophysical researches on the geotraverses: Angola – Brazil, Canary – Bahamas (the Atlantic Ocean), Maskarene Islands – Australia (the Indian Ocean); within the ore field of ferro-manganese nodules of Clarion – Clipperton (the Pacific Ocean); in the Ross and Weddell Seas (the Antarctic). As a result, there were acquired the unique data on the structure of the Earth’s crust and mineral resources of the oceans.

Foreign economic activity of JSC “MAGE” started in 1991, when the Company set the RV “Geolog Dmitriy Nalivkin” into the external market in partnership with the Norwegian company “Fugro-Geoteam”.

In 2002 there was concluded a contract with the English company “Westland GeoProjects” and there were performed 2D reflection seismic investigations on the Libyan shelf in the Mediterranean Sea, on the Norwegian shelf in the North and Barents Seas.

In 1997 – 1999 the RV “Professor Kurentsov” was jointly used by JSC “MAGE” and “Veritas DGS Ltd.” in such areas as basins of the Nile and Niger, nearby the Canary, Faeroes Islands and off the Moroccan coast.

In 2005 the RV “Professor Kurentsov” was engaged for the first time in commercial seismic survey by tender under the contract with the Indian company “ONGC”. 2D seismic survey, gravity and magnetic measurements were carried out on the shelf of the Eastern (the Bengal Bay) and Western (the Arabian Sea) India, the scope of work was about 11 500 km.

In 2007 JSC “MAGE” won a tender for acquisition and processing of seismic data in Myanmar offshore zone. That contract was concluded with the Indian company “ONGC Videsh Ltd.” and the scope of work was about 13 000 km.

In 2008 there were performed seismic surveys (in the scope of 7 500 km) in the Norwegian part of the Barents Sea for “Fugro-Geoteam AS”. Also in partnership with “Westland GeoProjects” there were carried out seismic, gravity and magnetic measurements in the Gulf of Aden, the North Sea, offshore zones of Denmark and Canada.

In 2010 according to the Contract with “ONGC Ltd.” JSC “MAGE” successfully performed seismic surveys in different areas of the Indian Ocean (more than 10 000 km).

In 2011 there were acquired high-resolution data in the Barents Sea under the Contract with the Australian company “Searcher Seismic PTY Ltd.”. Besides, in May – July 2011 there were performed 2D seismic surveys (in the scope of 6 500 km) in the Barents Sea according to the Contract with “Multiclient Geophysical AS” (Norway).

The research – production activity of JSC “MAGE” also includes a regular participation in geological and geophysical exhibitions, scientific congresses, conferences and workshops conducted by national and international associations of geologists and geophysicists.