Oil Patch Insider: Alaska team wins ‘Silver Wrench’

Pioneer Natural Resources’ Alaska asset team was awarded the company’s “Silver Wrench Award” for 2012, the first time the Alaska asset team has reached medal contention in the awards, which recognize outstanding levels of operational excellence.

The award recognizes the Alaska team’s execution of “the North Slope’s largest hydraulic fracture stimulation in its N-1 well,” work the company said utilized a Lower 48 style completion technique.

The team also “considerably improved its overall up-time by upgrading equipment and implementing new procedures and enhanced training.”

These efforts are credited with boosting Pioneer Natural Resource’s Alaska 2012 production, “exceeding their goal by 13 percent.”

Most importantly, the company said in a July 10 release, the team met or exceeded goals for environmental incidents, with zero OSHA recordable injuries and a 25 percent reduction in reportable spills.

“Implementing the Slope’s largest frac and improving our operational performance is no small feat,” said Pioneer Alaska President Pat Foley. “But, doing all of that in extreme winter conditions with zero OSHA recordable is truly a tremendous effort and illustrates our teams’ commitment to safety, the environment, their fellow employees and the job at hand.”

—Kristen Nelson