“Unified subsurface geological information fund” federal state information system: basis for subsoil use digital transformation

The authors discuss the main goals and strategic objectives of the Federal State Information System "Unified Subsurface Geological Information Fund", the establishment of which is prescribed by the Subsoil Law as amended by Federal Law No. 205-FZ dated 29.06.2015. The paper briefly presents the main results achieved in 2016-2020; the possibility to submit electronic geological information to the Fund and to receive it in the same way from the Fund via the Internet are the key consequences for users and the state. Establishment of the Unified Subsurface Geological Information Fund underpins a fundamental digital transformation of the geoscience industry, which is associated with a transfer from document-based management to management based on the processing of formalised, legally relevant datasets. There is also an opportunity to review the business logic of subsoil use processes and their management mechanisms, to implement their optimization and to avoid rudimentary actions, for instance, the formation of exploration maturity records as mandatory documents of a delivery set or mandatory simultaneous submission of identical electronic and hardcopy documents.