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Data from 22 Slope wells to be released, including Tinmiaq 2, 6
Alan Bailey Petroleum News
The latest public release of exploration data by Alaska’s Division of Oil and Gas will consist of data from 22 North Slope wells, including ConocoPhillips’ Tinmiaq 2 and Tinmiaq 6 wells, drilled in 2016 in the Greater Mooses Tooth unit and forming the basis of the company’s subsequent announcement of its major Willow oil discovery in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
On June 1 the division issued notices for the public release of the data after 30 days. The data releases come as part of the state tax credit system - companies making use of tax credits in support of exploration activities have had to file resulting exploration data with the division. Well data become publicly available after two years. The Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys’ Geologic Materials Center provides data access.
In addition to the two Tinmiaq wells, data come from two ConocoPhillips wells in the Greater Mooses Tooth unit: the Spark DD 6 well, drilled in 2008, and the Rendezvous 2 well, drilled in 2001. These wells found hydrocarbons with a high gas content in Alpine sands. There are also data from the Noatak 1 well, which ConocoPhillips drilled 10 miles or so west of the Bear Tooth unit in 2007. And there is data from the Intrepid 2 well, drilled in 2007 by ConocoPhillips to the south of the Walakpa gas field, on the far western side of the NPR-A.
Wells south of Smith Bay The data to be released shortly include that from four Aklaq, Aklaqyaaq and Amaqyaaq wells drilled by FEX in 2006 and 2007 in the northwestern NPR-A. The wells run along a line extending southwest from Smith Bay, where Caelus Alaska announced a major oil discovery in 2016. FEX reported finding hydrocarbon bearing sandstones in two of the wells.
Other data are also coming available from the Puviaq 1 well, drilled by ConocoPhillips a few miles south of Smith Bay in 2003.
Located below the waters of Harrison Bay, off the Colville River delta, is the Qugruk 4 well, drilled in 2012 by Repsol as part of an exploration program that ultimately led to the onshore Pikka Nanushuk discovery. Data also come from another Repsol well, the Tuttu 1PB1, drilled in 2014, immediately south of the Kuparuk River and Prudhoe Bay units.
Brooks Range Beechey Point wells There are also data from five Brooks Range Petroleum Corp. wells: the North Shore 1, 1PB1 and 3 wells, and the Sak River 1 and 1A wells, drilled in the Beechey Point area, on the Beaufort Sea coast, to the north of the Prudhoe Bay unit between 2007 and 2010. The North Shore 1 well flowed oil from the Ivishak.
Data are being released from Ultrastar Exploration’s Dewline 1 well drilled in 2009, and Pioneer Natural Resources’ Hailstorm 1 well drilled in 2006. The Dewline well is near the Beaufort Sea coast, to the north of the Prudhoe Bay unit, and the Hailstorm well is immediately south of the central Prudhoe Bay unit.
Data are also being released from two wells drilled by Great Bear Petroleum close to the North Slope Haul Road south of Prudhoe Bay, to test the potential for source rock oil development in the region. These are the Merak 1 well, drilled in 2012, and the Alkaid 1 well, drilled in 2015.
- ALAN BAILEY
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