ARCO to drill exploratory wells north of Nuiqsut

Kristen Nelson

ARCO Alaska Inc. is in the process of permitting the 2 Nanuk and 3 Nanuk winter exploration wells between Alpine and Nuiqsut west of Kuparuk in the Colville River delta. The company told regulators that ice road and ice pad construction will be on Kuukpik Corp. lands and that subsurface mineral rights are owned by the state and the Arctic Slope Regional Corp.

The 2 Nanuk will be drilled from a one-mile ice road spur off of the planned Alpine ice road; the 3 Nanuk location will be determined after evaluating data from the 2 Nanuk.

A total of three reservoir penetrations are planned, either one well with two sidetracks or two wells and one sidetrack. Drilling will be from one or two ice pads.

The project is north of the village of Nuiqsut and south of ARCO’s Alpine development.

Work is expected to begin Feb. 1 and be completed by June 1.