Oliktok barge ramp work approved; 5-year screeding, landing permit
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Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
An April 21 request from Hilcorp Alaska for a 5-year land use permit for screeding activities at Oliktok Point and the Spy Island Drill Site, and installation of a seasonal barge landing at Oliktok Point, drew comments from ConocoPhillips Alaska.
The request was approved by the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas July 9, with the June 3 comments from ConocoPhillips resulting in Hilcorp Alaska requesting a letter of non-objection from Conoco Phillips.
Hilcorp's proposed work includes screeding activities at Oliktok Point and the Spy Island Drill Site and installation of a seasonal barge landing at Oliktok Point.
In its approval the division said general maintenance screeding at Oliktok Point would be in a 50-foot by 100-foot area on the west side barge ramp. The barge landing ramp at Oliktok Point, 60-feet by 60-feet, would be re-assembled each open water season or partially left in place over the winter. The ramp is comprised of rig mats and some 30 gravel-filled bags.
At Spy Island, the division said general maintenance screeding would be on the east and west barge ramps in a 150-foot by 400-foot area at each ramp, and take place during the open water season starting in July using an extended reach backhoe staged from a barge or from the boat ramp edge, with work estimated to take five to 20 working days each year.
ConocoPhillips comments In its comments ConocoPhillips told the division that Oliktok Point is part of the Kuparuk River unit. For ConocoPhillips and other operators on the North Slope, Oliktok Point is critical infrastructure, the company said.
The company cited both routine activities and plans it has for Oliktok road maintenance in 2026 and module deliveries for its Willow project at the Oliktok Dock in 2027. ConocoPhillips said its 2027 planned activities may be the largest infrastructure delivery at Oliktok Point in decades, requiring careful preparation, planning and execution including collaboration with other North Slope operators.
Letters of non-objection, the company said, are the most familiar and proven method for such cooperation and coordination.
ConocoPhillips requested that the permit be subject to a letter of non-objection to ensure screeding and barge ramp installation do not interfere with Kuparuk River unit operations, particularly the KRU Seawater Treatment Plant, and for effective management of simultaneous operations at and around Oliktok Point, including delivery of Willow modules.
The division said ConocoPhillips concerns were noted and forwarded to Hilcorp Alaska and said Hilcorp Alaska responded that it had submitted a letter of non-objection to ConocoPhillips.
Other work approvals The division also approved plans of operation amendments from Prudhoe Bay operator Hilcorp North Slope for two Prudhoe Bay projects.
The July 10 approvals are for authorization to expand the L Pad access road to create a vehicle pull out and parking area 'where crews can safely fill equipment with permitted water,' involving a gravel expansion some 125 feet by 30 feet.
The division also approved a request to expand the road between Gathering Center 1 and Gathering Center 3 and replace 120 vertical support members. That project involves placement of some 900 cubic yards of gravel along 1,300 feet of existing road to widen the road by 3 to 5 feet, creating a safe work area for maintenance of VSMs. After gravel placement, Hilcorp North Slope will cut and cap some 120 VSMs along the road and replace them with new VSMs.
'KRISTEN NELSON
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