Nanushuk EIS comment extended

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has extended the deadline for submitting public comments on the scope of the environmental impact statement for the proposed Nanushuk development on Alaska’s North Slope. The Corps has moved the deadline from May 1 to May 31. As part of the EIS scoping process, the Corps has already held public meetings in Nuiqsut, Barrow, Anchorage and Fairbanks.

Armstrong Oil & Gas Inc. and Repsol E&P USA want to conduct a major oil development at Nanushuk, with Armstrong operating the project. The project involves the construction of three drilling pads, the drilling of up to 76 wells, coupled with the construction of associated pipelines, roads and processing facilities. The Corps has determined that, to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act, an EIS must be completed prior to making a decision on whether to issue a permit for the disposal of dredge and fill material from the project.

The idea of the EIS scoping is to determine the various issues that need to be considered in evaluating the pros and cons of the project from an environmental perspective.

If the Nanushuk project comes to fruition, the new development could, at its peak, add 120,000 barrels per day to North Slope oil production.

- ALAN BAILEY