Conoco plans Shark Tooth appraisal well

ConocoPhillips Alaska plans an appraisal well, Shark Tooth No. 1, in the south-west area of the Kuparuk River unit this winter drilling season. In an application to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas, the company said the appraisal well will be drilled into the Kuparuk reservoir from an ice pad.

The company said a single drill rig will be used to drill a single appraisal well to appraise the Shark Tooth area in the southeast portion of the Kuparuk reservoir development area.

“The well will provide additional reservoir information in this area and narrow uncertainty around reservoir description parameters including oil-water contact, sand quality and thickness, and oil viscosity,” the company said.

The company told the state that information from the well “is critical for any future development of this part of the Kuparuk reservoir.”

An ice road, estimated at 4 miles in length, will be used to access the ice drilling pad from Kuparuk River unit Drill Site 2K.

ConocoPhillips said the ice pad will be on State of Alaska lease ADL 25603 in section 20 of township 10 north, range 8 east, Umiat Meridian.

The ice road will begin from the Kuparuk gravel road network at Drill Site 2K. ConocoPhillips said it plans to begin building the ice road and ice pad as soon as permits are issued and following the opening of North Slope winter tundra travel. The company requested authorization to begin pre-packing snow for ice road construction as soon as possible on or after Nov. 15.

Upon completion of testing, the well will be plugged and abandoned prior to the end of the winter drilling season. ConocoPhillips is the Kuparuk River unit operator.

—Kristen Nelson