SAE’s Kuukpik 3-D survey modified

Division approves modification of seismic acquisition to be finished this winter on east side of Colville River south of Horseshoe

Kay Cashman

Petroleum News

Effective Oct. 24, Alaska’s Division of Oil and Gas approved a modification of SAExploration Inc.’s Kuukpik 3-D seismic survey that expands it from a 490 square mile acquisition to a 514-mile program.

One-third of the survey was completed last winter, and the rest is expected to be finished this coming winter.

The survey is on the east side of the Colville River, extending south from the Horseshoe No. 1 well where Armstrong Energy discovered oil in the Nanushuk formation in 2017 (see map in pdf version of this story).

Armstrong has since sold its interests in the area to the current operator, Oil Search.

The leases involved are on state land held by Oil Search, Repsol, ConocoPhillips, Pantheon, Great Bear and SAE.

The miscellaneous land use permit to conduct geophysical exploration was issued March 15. Permit MLUPNS 19-002’s duration is from its approval date to tundra closure 2020.

Per statute, SAE provided the division with a performance guarantee of $100,000, as well as supplied a certificate of insurance that lists the Alaska Department of Natural Resources as an additional named insured on the policy.

The division conducted an agency review and comment opportunity for the activities authorized under the permit modification. The following government entities were notified on Oct. 2 for comment: Alaska Department of Fish & Game, DNR’s Division of Mining Land and Water, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, the North Slope Borough and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The comment deadline was 4:30 p.m. Oct. 16.