Hilcorp Happy Valley Pad lease ops plan suspended

Kay Cashman

Petroleum News

On Dec. 1 the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oi and Gas posted a Notice of Suspension of its Nov. 21 approval of Hilcorp Alaska's Middle Happy Valley Pad and Road lease plan of operations.

The project is approximately 13 miles northeast of Anchor Point and five miles east of the Sterling Highway. Hilcorp plans to build a new 300-by-400-foot gravel pad and a 26-foot-wide, 3-mile-long gravel access road; drill two grassroots wells; and install associated infrastructure.

But on Nov. 25, the division was notified of a public comment on the application that the division had been previously unaware of, in part due to an error in receipt of the information, during its adjudication of the Hilcorp's application.

In its Dec. 1 Notice of Suspension the division said the approval is suspended pending the division's complete evaluation of the information. The division will issue an amended decision once it has had an opportunity to review and incorporate the public comment.

Any activity that has begun under the Nov. 21 approval must pause, and no further activity can take place until the division completes its review and issues a decision.

As a result of the suspension of the Nov. 21, decision, the corresponding 20-day

appeal period was likewise suspended and will fully restart upon the division's forthcoming issuance of an amended decision.

Once the amended decision is issued, any eligible person affected by it may file an appeal to the DNR Commissioner in accordance with AS 44.37.011 and 11 AAC 02.

Contact Sean Clifton at (907) 269-8786 or [email protected] with any questions or concerns regarding the suspension.

-KAY CASHMAN.