Phillips asks for ACMP review for Kuparuk Uplands wells

Paperwork filed with the state indicates the company requested a coastal zone review to avoid permitting delays for the project

Petroleum News • Alaska

Phillips Alaska Inc. has asked the state to initiate review of Kuparuk Uplands exploratory well locations “as if they are subject to the ACMP in order to avoid potential future delays to the project,” the company told the Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas in late October.

The exploration prospects, Heavenly and Supercub, are on state and private land east of the Colville River and south of the Kuparuk River unit and will be drilled during or beyond the 2001-2006 winter drilling seasons.

The Division of Governmental Coordination is still determining whether this project — outside the current coastal zone boundary — is subject to the Alaska Coastal Management Program. A DGC official told PNA in an October interview the agency was considering expanding the coastal zone to include all of the North Slope, which would mean all slope oil and gas projects would be subject to the Alaska Coastal Management Program review administered by DGC.

Proposed locations for the wells are: Heavenly 1 on Arctic Slope Regional Corp. lands in section 4 of T4N-R8E, Umiat Meridian; Heavenly 2 on state land in section 19 of 5N-8E, UM; Supercub 1 on state land in section 18 T5N-R7E, UM.

Phillips told the Division of Oil and Gas that “if DGC confirms our determination of non-applicability (of the Alaska Coastal Management Program), then DGC will notify the affected agencies and application review will continue as if the ACMP process had never been started.”

In addition to a 500 foot by 500 foot ice drill pad and some 35.5 miles of ice road, Phillips would also build a 300 foot by 300 foot ice pad and temporary camp facility to support ice road construction.