RIA Novosti has received materials for an upcoming meeting of the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade Board. According to them, Russia is to set up three centers for testing oil and gas and mining equipment in line with Arctic state quality standards.

"Three centers, the basic infrastructure of Arctic state quality standards, will be set up for testing oil and gas and mining equipment, due to operate in the Arctic," the materials say.

Between 2018-2020, Russia will manufacture prototype equipment for geological and prospecting operations and for developing hydrocarbon deposits in the Russian Arctic's ground and high-seas areas.

These projects are to be implemented under a subprogram for developing equipment and technologies for oil and gas and mining engineering needed to develop mineral deposits in the Arctic economic zone. They are also needed for the socioeconomic development of the Russian Arctic zone up to 2020. The subprogram is to be approved during this year.

Earlier, Dmitry Rogozin, Head of the State Commission for Arctic Development, told journalists that commission members had agreed to stipulate state quality standards for equipment, due to operate on the continental shelf. Any equipment being tested for compliance with Arctic state quality standards can be used in this region and anywhere else, he noted.