BP plans 533 square miles of 3-D seismic

Petroleum News

BP Exploration (Alaska) has applied to the Division of Oil and Gas for a land use permit for a 3-D seismic program in Prudhoe Bay unit; the survey will be performed by SAExploration.

BP said the work will begin in the first week of January or when the tundra opens for winter travel and continue until completion or conditions no longer support tundra travel.

The company said SAE will use “new recording methodology to image potential targets” employing “the best available technology to acquire better quality and higher resolution seismic data.” There will be one crew.

The survey will be primarily within the Prudhoe Bay unit, BP said, although it will include portions of the Beechey Point, Kuparuk River and Milne Point units, as well as some non-unit areas.

The survey will be primarily within Prudhoe, BP said, so a gravel pad may be used for staging the camp, although a mobile sled camp may also be used; that would be located on tundra or on an ice pad.

There will also be staging areas on gravel or ice pads separate from the base camp used for resupply, space for data downloading and recharging of recording equipment.

BP said that using the independent seismic source methodology means only a single vibrator is required to travel down any source line, reducing the risk of compaction or damage to the tundra. Willow shrub stands will be identified in advance and where they can be safely accessed, trails will be marked for crews to follow; in areas where the willows cannot be traversed with larger vehicles, crews will use snow machines or foot traffic to access receiver points.

- Petroleum News