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BLM opens travel across tundra in NPR-A
The Bureau of Land Management has lifted most seasonal travel restrictions in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, the federal agency said Dec. 19.
With frost measured at deeper than 12 inches and snow depths of more than six inches, travel is allowed in parts of the northeast planning area leased in 1999 and 2002.
Because of a disparity between regulations in different parts of the reserve, those lands in the northeast planning area have stricter guidelines for determining whether snow fall and ground conditions will sufficiently protect North Slope tundra from industrial vehicles.
In early October, ConocoPhillips staked four well sites in the Greater Mooses Tooth unit in the northeast planning area. The company previously announced plans to drill two wells in NPR-A this winter, but has yet to release an official spending plan.
BLM regulations for the rest of the northeast planning area, as well as all of the northwest planning area of the reserve, allow for travel once “frost and snow covers are at sufficient depths to protect the tundra.” With those conditions having now been met, travel in those sections of the reserve is now allowed “at the discretion of the permittee.”
Anadarko plans to drill one well in the northwest planning area this winter as part of a three-well program crossing state, Native and federal lands in the Brooks Range foothills.
State lands still closed As of Dec. 17, all state lands on North Slope tundra remained closed to off-road travel.
Although most monitored areas have enough snow, the ground temperatures at a few checkpoints still have not fallen below the threshold required by state regulations.
In the eastern and western coastal areas, the state requires around six inches of snow and ground temperatures around 23 degrees at a depth of nearly a foot before allowing travel.
In the upper and lower foothills area, the state requires around nine inches of snow and ground temperatures around 23 degrees at a depth of nearly a foot before allowing travel.
The snowfall is deep enough at all but one checkpoint in the four regions across northern Alaska. Ground temperatures still remain too warm at five of the 19 monitoring stations.
The next update of state lands was scheduled for after Petroleum News went to press.
—Eric Lidji
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