ConocoPhillips applies for pad expansion

Petroleum News

ConocoPhillips Alaska has applied to expand the Kuparuk River unit 12-acre pad. In a Dec. 19 unit plan of operations amendment application to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas, the company said it proposes to expand the east side of the existing 12-acre pad to provide additional laydown space to accommodate increased North Slope construction activities.

The division public noticed the application Jan. 19; comments are due by 4:30 p.m., Feb. 19.

The company is requesting approval to expand the existing 12-acre pad, placing some 18,500 cubic yards of clean gravel fill onto 2.6 acres of tundra, with all work to take place from existing gravel in the Kuparuk River unit.

Work is scheduled to begin April 1, or as soon as permits are received, ConocoPhillips said.

“The proposed pad expansion is necessary to provide additional laydown space for the staging and storage of drilling rigs, equipment, piping, and other materials associated with an increase in North Slope projects,” the company said in its application.

The western side of the pad is along the Oliktok Point Road, south of the Kuparuk River 3R pad.

- Petroleum News