More details for two Phillips Alaska exploration prospects

Nanuq, south of Alpine, and Atlas, south of the Alpine pipeline, will be reached by ice road, with drilling planned for February

Kristen Nelson

PNA News Editor

Phillips Alaska Inc. is continuing permitting activities for its 2000-2001 winter exploration activities, and has provided more location information on two prospects, Atlas in the south and Nanuq in the Colville River delta area.

The 3 Nanuq and 4 Nanuq wells, almost directly south of Alpine, will be accessed via ice road spurs off a main ice road accessing the Kuparuk field. Phillips Alaska said it plans two delineation wells, with two reservoir penetrations, one well and one sidetrack, planned for each location.

Both wells are on private Kuukpik Corp. surface lands with partial subsurface ownership by the state of Alaska. Both are within the Colville River unit.

The 3 Nanuq, 3.5 miles southeast of Alpine drill site CD-2, may be retained as a future development or observation well, Phillips Alaska said in permit applications.

Work will begin on the ice road around Dec. 20, with drilling planned in February and testing in March.

Phillips lists alternate sites for the 3 Nanuq and 4 Nanuq wells. The 3 Nanuq will be at either 24-T11N-R4E, UM, or at 19-T11N-R5E,UM, while the 4 Nanuq will be at either of 24, 25, 26-T11N-R4E, UM, or at 19-T11N-R5E, UM.

The 4 Nanuq will be approximately 4 miles directly south of Alpine drill site CD-2.

Both leases are held by Phillips Alaska and Anadarko Petroleum Corp.

Atlas south of Alpine pipeline

Ice roads to Atlas will be off of the Alpine ice road, seven miles of ice road for the 1 Atlas and one mile of ice road for the 2 Atlas. Ice road construction is slated to begin Jan. 1, with drilling at Atlas from mid-January through early February and testing during February.

The 1 Atlas is expected to be drilled in 11-T9N-R6E, UM, while the 2 Atlas will be drilled in 10-T9N-R6E, UM.

Phillips Alaska spokeswoman Dawn Patience told PNA in late October: “We will participate in 12 to 15 exploration wells, up from nine last year. But we expect the budget to be about the same.”

The company is doing permitting work for some 30 locations, including prospects in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska that were at least partially permitted but not drilled last year.