Unocal permitting gas exploration projects near Ninilchik

Petroleum News Alaska

Unocal Alaska Resources has begun the permitting process for two exploration prospects on private land near Ninilchik.

The Albright prospect is some 3.5 miles north of Ninilchik on private surface and subsurface. Unocal plans one or two gas exploration wells and possible well testing, depending on results of drilling.

Access is from the Sterling Highway and a gravel access road would be built across private surface land to the drilling site, where a gravel pad would be built. There would be no onsite camp or domestic waste or wastewater discharges and only temporary onsite storage of drill muds and cuttings.

The estimated start date for the Albright prospect is June 1. The first well is expected to take approximately 50 days to drill. The plan is to test conventional gas targets on the southern Kenai Peninsula. A second well is possible next year.

A second prospect, also gas exploration, is on Ninilchik Native Association surface land and Cook Inlet Region Inc. subsurface some seven miles east of Ninilchik. A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers wetlands permit is out for public notice on the NNA No. 2; the NNA No. 1 well is not on wetlands.

Access to this prospect is off Ninilchik Road and two short spur roads would be built. Drilling is expected to start June 1 and end Sept. 30, although Unocal said testing could continue through the end of 2002.

One exploration well and one delineation well (the NNA No. 2) are planned. Drilling will be from gravel pads. Some 400 feet of new road will be required for the NNA No. 1, some 50 feet of new road for the NNA No. 2.

Unocal said that one rig would be used to drill both wells and would be mobilized as early as June. The second well could be drilled this year, or deferred to 2002.

There would be no onsite camp or domestic waste or wastewater discharges and only temporary onsite storage of drill muds and cuttings.