Sea ice is the most severe environmental factor in the Arctic. The hazards it creates are potentially greater than the hazards faced in open-ocean operations. Such hazards range from the forces that moving sea ice exerts against offshore structures to the gouging of the seafloor (a factor to be considered in the placement of pipelines). Engineering data for these hazards is important as operations move from exploration to production and as structures are considered for deeper water. The MMS is participating in opportunities to gain safety-related information in advance of future operations in the Arctic. Engineering properties and forces of moving ice on structures and pipelines are being studied.