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Two 3D seismic surveys being permitted for W, E North Slope
Kay Cashman Petroleum News
In early December, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas posted two public notices for geophysical exploration permits applied for by SAExploration. On Nov. 7 and on Oct. 11, respectively, the company filed an application to conduct a 368 square mile Narwhal 3D seismic survey west of the central North Slope and the (up to) 891 square mile Staines 3D survey on the eastern North Slope. Both surveys will be done this winter.
Although SAE does not say which oil company(ies) the Narwhal survey is being done for, it appears to encompass part of ConocoPhillips’ Narwhal prospect, which contains part of the Nanushuk reservoir and adjoins Oil Search’s Pikka unit Nanushuk project on the east.
The public notice and SAE’s application describe the Narwhal 3D project as being on state of Alaska, Kuukpik Inc. and federal lands south of the village of Nuiqsut “in an area west of the Kuparuk River unit including portions of the Colville River (Alpine) unit and Greater Moose’s Tooth unit.”
State lands comprise approximately 65.66 square miles of the total survey area.
SAE will be conducting operations during the tundra travel winter season with an estimated start date of Dec. 28, or as soon as the tundra is open for travel.
Their camp will remain close to survey activities and will move every three to seven days depending on the survey’s progress and snow cover.
Wireless nodes will be laid out by crews on foot and by use of rubber-tracked vehicles and/or snowmachines.
Vibroseis, a truck-mounted system that uses a large oscillating mass to put a range of frequencies into the earth, will be used as the energy source.
Larger Staines survey The Staines 3D project is on state of Alaska lands approximately 20-50 miles east of Deadhorse and more than 55 miles west of the community of Kaktovik in the 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The area of the proposed seismic survey is west of the Staines River, with operations scheduled during this winter’s tundra travel season to begin Jan. 10.
Vibroseis will be used as the energy source using up to 12 tracked or buggy vibrators.
Wireless nodes will be laid out by crews on foot and rubber-tracked vehicles and/or snowmachines.
A mobile camp will remain close to the survey activities and will move every three to seven days depending on the survey’s progress and snow cover.
- KAY CASHMAN
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