Division OKs dredging, Milne pad work

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas has approved annual maintenance dredging of the West Dock Causeway at the Hilcorp North Slope-operated Prudhoe Bay unit and installation of chemical injection containment modules at R Pad in Hilcorp Alaska's Milne Point unit.

In its July 2 approval, the division said the dredging of seafloor sediments around the West Dock Causeway maintains dock heads 2 and 3 navigational access and the flow of seawater to the Seawater Treatment Plant.

Diagrams accompanying the approval show the south leg of the causeway extending from West Dock at Prudhoe to the barge docking area at Dock Head No. 2; the middle leg extending to Point McIntyre No. 2 Pad and Dock Head No. 3; and the north leg extending to the Seawater Treatment Plant.

The division said dredging will be from the dock or barge surface using an excavator, with the project expected to begin July 5.

At Hilcorp Alaska's Milne Point, in a July 8 decision the division approved a unit plan of operations amendment allowing Hilcorp to install three chemical injection containment modules on R Pad at Milne Point. The division said the project will provide a receiving location for chemicals from bulk storage, with pumps assisting vehicles in retrieving the chemical to support facility and well work activities.

The 6.5-foot by 6-foot containment modules will be placed directly on the pad; secondary containment is built into the design of the skid.

Once the modules are placed, necessary piping, tubing and electrical components will tie them into facility infrastructure.

Work is scheduled to begin in July.

--KRISTEN NELSON