Hilcorp's Kenai 3D seismic permit approved

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas has approved an application from Hilcorp Alaska for the NINU White 3D seismic program. In its May 6 approval, the division said the seismic survey will be on state lands in the Kenai Peninsula Borough north of Nikolaevsk, south of Deep Creek, east of Happy Valley and west of Caribou Hills. There will be some 69 square miles of seismic test lines across multiple tracts of state, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Native and privately owned surface lands.

The permit covers May 20 through Oct. 31.

In its March 20 application, Hilcorp said the program is estimated to take some 90 days, depending on weather, beginning May 20 and ending Sept. 1, with demobilization and recovery of nodes used in the program throughout the project, ending Sept. 30.

The company described the project as using a "very light impact seismic acquisition method," with drilling by portable hand-held equipment and no ATV use except along established roads and trails. Recording will be with wireless nodes and small mini-dynamite charges, not exceeding 0.25 kilograms, will be used at depths of some 5 feet. Nodes will be 220 feet apart in a grid pattern with charges following a 110-foot by 220-foot grid.

Staging will be from Hilcorp-operated pads.

The division said equipment for the project includes light duty trucks, utility terrain vehicle, handheld drilling equipment, mini dynamite charges (not exceeding 0.25 kg) and wireless seismic nodal receivers.

A map provided by Hilcorp in its application shows the project area reaching from the northeast edge of the North Fork unit -- a unit Hilcorp is in the process of acquiring -- to southeast of Hilcorp's Deep Creek unit.

A lease ownership map posted by the division in February shows that Hilcorp owns a handful of leases in the survey area while a considerable portion of the area is unleased.

--KRISTEN NELSON