Escopeta, North Slope exploration updates

In early October there were more wells planned for the upcoming North Slope exploration season than ever before — 34, as compared to a record 33 drilled in 1969.

But by the end of October, some drilling plans were in jeopardy. Following are the companies that planned to drill between November of 2011 and November 2012, the maximum number of wells they were looking at, and the status of their programs:

• Brooks Range: 1 rig, 2 wells/on schedule.

• Great Bear: 1 rig, 12 wells, including six laterals/on schedule but could face a few months delay due to rig availability and final permits.

• Linc (Renaissance Umiat): 1 rig, 5 wells/company said Oct. 31, “Rigs are tight but we are making headway.”

• Pioneer: 1 rig, 2 wells/on schedule.

• Repsol: 5 rigs, 15 wells/on schedule but there’s a chance permitting challenges could delay part of the program until next winter.

• Savant: 1 rig, 1 well/subject to rig availability, likely will be delayed until next winter.

• UltraStar: 1 rig, 1 well/subject to rig availability, likely will be delayed until next winter.

In Southcentral Alaska’s Cook Inlet basin, as of Oct. 31, Escopeta Oil had drilled down to 8,800 feet, a little over half the distance to the targeted depth for its first well in the offshore Kitchen Lights unit. The company was preparing to conduct its weekly blowout preventer test, followed by wireline testing.

On Nov. 3, Escopeta officials would not say if drilling would continue once testing was complete, despite the fact the Department of Environmental Conservation gave Escopeta permission to continue drilling until Nov. 15, weather and ice conditions permitting, and that both conditions were still favorable.

—Kay Cashman