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SAExploration seismic programs approved
KRISTEN NELSON Petroleum News
SAExploration has received approval from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas, for two seismic surveys, both on state land and waters in the Beaufort Sea, one in the vicinity of the Colville River Delta and one within the Prudhoe Bay area.
The permits, both marine-based three-dimensional ocean bottom seismic surveys for the 2015 open water season, are effective Aug. 7 to Nov. 30.
The state portion of the survey in waters of the Prudhoe Bay area of the Beaufort Sea will cover some 418 square miles; the state portion of the survey in the Colville River Delta area of the Beaufort will cover some 169 square miles.
The division said there would be no land-based source or receiver for either survey.
SAExploration has also been acquiring federal permits for seismic programs off the North Slope.
The operation will use marine ocean bottom recorders, the division said, with marine nodes deployed from a vessel for placement on the ocean bottom. The marine nodes are attached by a single rope for ease of retrieval.
The energy will be a submerged compressed air source, an air gun, towed by a vessel.
After data is collected over an area, the marine nodes are lifted onto the deck of the vessels and moved to a new location.
Separate onshore permit In May, SAExploration received a permit for an onshore 3-D seismic survey, described as Ice Wine, in the vicinity of Franklin Bluffs and the Dalton Highway.
Burgundy Xploration and joint venture partner Accumulate Energy Alaska have applied to the division to drill at Franklin Bluffs, some 35 miles south of Pump Station 1 on the North Slope. The proposed Icewine No. 1 well will be a core hole (see story in July 26 issue).
The seismic permit is effective May 19 to Oct. 31 and the survey covers some 239 square miles. Data will be acquired by conventional charge source, with receiver lines run perpendicular to source lines. Three-inch diameter holes will be drilled to a depth of 35 to 50 feet and a 2 kilogram to 4 kilogram charge will be placed at the bottom of the hole, with the hole backfilled with bentonite and cuttings and tamped flush with the ground surface.
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