KRU pad aimed at field life extension

KRISTEN NELSON

Petroleum News

ConocoPhillips Alaska has applied to expand the Kuparuk Construction Services pad in the northern part of the Kuparuk River unit. As reported in the Jan. 31 issue of Petroleum News, which referenced the company’s U.S. Corps of Engineers application, work at the pad will be done over three seasons, beginning this year.

Information provided in a project description to the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas provides additional background.

The company said expansion of the work surface at the KCS pad would support growth necessary for continued development and production of Kuparuk River unit oil and gas resources, providing space for shops, offices, camps, vehicle parking, bullrails, storage tanks and equipment staging.

The company said the workload at Kuparuk has increased by 4 to 4.5 percent each year over the past 20 years, and expansion of the pad would “increase efficiency to continue to meet increasing demand.”

In addition to providing space for new camps, offices, shops, vehicle parking and equipment staging, ConocoPhillips said it plans to move camps, infrastructure and equipment from the 12-acre pad in sections 9 and 16 of township 13 north, range 9 east, Umiat Meridian, to the expanded KCS pad to consolidate and improve efficiency of operations.

“Movement of camps from the 12-acre pad will also benefit the environment, because they will no longer rely on diesel-powered generators once relocated to the expanded KCS pad where electricity is available,” reducing air emissions.

ConocoPhillips noted that Kuparuk development began in the 1980s.

“With additional development supported by this project, production is expected to continue for another 30 to 40 years,” the company said.

Phase 1, farthest east of Oliktok Road, planned for the first quarter of this year, includes space for three rig camps and a parking area with bullrails. It includes some 19.6 acres and includes a 30-foot wide access road and the easternmost portion of pad expansion. Phase 2, planned for the first quarter of 2017, includes 19.5 acres of the central portion of the pad expansion and will include space for a shop, additional parking with bullrails and a tank storage area for wells support. Phase 3, planned for the first quarter of 2018, includes 19.5 acres of the westernmost portion of pad expansion and will include space for a shop, vehicle parking and bullrails, storage tanks and a VAC truck staging area.

ConocoPhillips said the phased development “will minimize impacts to wetlands by placing gravel only as necessitated by development needs.”

Once phase 3 is completed, existing power poles on the northern edge of the existing KCS pad will be removed and the cables buried. The company said camps will be placed on gravel installed in phase 1 to maintain a safe distance of some 2,000 feet from the blast zone around existing pipelines.

There will be no oil production or processing at KCS pad and all construction personnel will be housed at the Kuparuk Operations Center.

The 58.6-acre expansion will accommodate three rig camps, vehicle parking areas, bullrails, equipment staging, laydown space, shops, storage tanks and other oil and gas infrastructure as needed.