Active ice road season on Slope

It appears that companies have been teeing up for an active season of ice road construction this winter, in connection with projects on the North Slope and in the nearshore waters of the Beaufort Sea. According to Alaska’s Division of Mining, Land and Water a total of more than 410 miles of ice roads have been planned.

Armstrong Energy wants to build a 13-mile road from the Mustang pad for the drilling of the Pikka No. 2 exploration well. Caelus Energy Alaska will build its usual 7.5-mile resupply ice road to the offshore Oooguruk island. ConocoPhillips anticipates building a 90-mile ice road for the drilling of three of its planned exploration wells, while also building its customary 43-mile resupply road from the Kuparuk River unit road system to the Alpine field. Eni Petroleum plans a six-mile road in support of its offshore operations at the Nikaitchuq field. Hilcorp Alaska plans a 14-mile resupply road to the Northstar Island in the Beaufort Sea, in support of the Northstar oil field. Glacier Oil and Gas plans a 27-mile ice road from the Endicott road to the Badami pad, in support of the drilling of the Starfish exploration well at Badami. And, finally, Olgoonik Construction Services plans 27 miles of ice roads for access from near the Meltwater 2P pad to an area west and northwest of Umiat, for the plugging and abandonment of five legacy wells in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

Accumulate Energy Alaska has submitted plans for 33 miles of road for the drilling of its Bravo and Charlie exploration wells, although those wells may be deferred to the 2018-19 winter season.

There is no news yet on the construction of any of these roads. Typically companies start pre-packing the road routes using tundra-certified vehicles before the opening of land for off-road winter travel. No state land has been opened yet for off-road travel for this winter.

- ALAN BAILEY