Paul Craig looking to shoot 3-D seismic over South Nanushuk; Parnell joins Holland & Hart

Kay Cashman

Petroleum News

Paul Craig, veteran oil and gas investor and independent in Alaska, is negotiating with a publicly traded oil and gas company interested in completing a 3-D seismic program over the 35,423-acre South Nanushuk prospect which lies about 20 miles south of Armstrong’s Horseshoe wildcat; and, farther south of the 2013 discovery west of the central North Slope.

“I am actively negotiating terms with management. When operations begin, the partner company may collaborate with other companies looking to shoot in the area,” Craig told Petroleum News July 3, “But the plans are not contingent on any other parties joining the shoot.”

Major new oil discoveries in the Nanushuk formation on Alaska’s North Slope are causing some significant rethinking of the oil potential of the region, as companies move towards development of the exciting finds and assess further exploration opportunities west of the central North Slope.

Petroleum geologist Paul Decker from Alaska’s Division of Oil and Gas recently talked to Petroleum News staff geologist and senior writer Alan Bailey about the nature and significance of the new discoveries (see article in June 24 edition, “Looking at it again”).

Decker views the new Nanushuk and Torok oil plays as opening the possibility of further significant oil finds to the west of the central North Slope. The plays may also prove valuable as a geologic paradigm for oil prospects in the newly opened 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, he said.

Two recent finds on their way to development consist of the Pikka/Horseshoe trend in the Nanushuk in the Colville River delta region by Armstrong and partners Repsol and Oil Search and ConocoPhillips’ Willow discovery in the Nanushuk of the northeastern National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, both north of Craig’s South Nanushuk prospect.

- KAY CASHMAN

Sean Parnell signs on with Holland & Hart

Parnell’s public service career includes serving from 2009-2014 as governor. He also served as lieutenant governor and is a former Alaska state senator and representative.

As an attorney, Parnell’s decades-long experience in commercial transactions, natural resources and litigation was developed in private practice, as in-house counsel, as director of state government relations for a major oil company, and in government service.

At Holland & Hart, Parnell will continue serving his existing Alaska business clients, as well as new clients in energy and infrastructure development.

“The extensive connections and relationships Sean has fostered at state, federal, and Western regional levels make Sean a valuable resource for clients undertaking infrastructure or natural resource exploration and development. Sean provides the firm’s energy and natural resources clients with a unique combination of experience as a former government leader, legislator, administrator, and legal advisor,” said Kyle Parker, administrative partner of the firm’s Anchorage office.

“Sean is a strong addition to our highly regarded energy industry team,” said Liz Sharrer, chair of Holland & Hart. “His many years of leadership in public service and his commitment to economic development align with our firm’s goal to continue expanding service and support of Alaska-based clients.”

Holland & Hart is a full-service law firm that has approximately 470 lawyers across eight states and in Washington, D.C.

- Petroleum News