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Corps begins work on Point Thomson EIS
Petroleum News
ExxonMobil is moving ahead with development permitting for its Point Thomson project.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a notice Dec. 4 of intention to prepare a draft environmental impact statement for the project, including construction and operation of the proposed development of the Thomson Sand reservoir.
The corps said the Environmental Protection Agency issued a notice of intent to prepare a DEIS in 2002 for a similar proposal, potentially including designation of ocean dredged material disposal sites. The corps said EPA was the lead on that project because it would have required authorization under the Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act.
The applicant, Exxon Mobil Corp., requested termination of that application.
In October ExxonMobil submitted a new project which would not require authorization under the MPRSA but would require authorization from the corps under Section 10 of the Rivers Harbors Act of 1899 and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.
Because of those required authorizations the corps is the lead federal agency for the revised project.
Scoping in January The application included construction and operation of a minimum of five wells from three pads. Natural gas would be produced from the reservoir and liquid condensate would be recovered, with residual gas re-injected. Offshore portions of the reservoir would be developed using long-reach directional drilling techniques from onshore pads. The liquids would be shipped through a new 22-mile, elevated pipeline that would tie into the existing Badami common carrier pipeline, which would deliver liquids to the trans-Alaska oil pipeline system.
In addition to the three drilling pads the project includes a gravel airstrip, a bulkhead and dolphins, in-field gravel roads, ice roads, in-field pipelines and a gravel mine. The corps said dredging may be required at the bulkhead.
Scoping for the draft EIS will begin Jan. 11 and end Feb. 25. The corps said it expects to hold scoping meetings mid-January in Anchorage, Barrow, Fairbanks, Kaktovik and Nuiqsut, and said further information on the meetings will be published in advance of the meetings.
Information will be available at the project Web site, www.pointthomsonprojecteis.com, prior to the meetings.
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