Unocal’s Birch Hills development second on list

Kay Cashman, Petroleum News publisher & managing editor

Unocal Alaska spokeswoman Roxanne Sinz said May 29 that if Unocal receives the necessary permits and rights of way to develop its two Swanson River satellites in the Cook Inlet Basin, the North Swanson River satellite – i.e. Birch Hills development – and the East Swanson River satellite, the company will develop the eastern satellite first.

“We have no plans for immediate development (of Birch Hills); our priority would … (be to work) with Marathon to develop the east satellite first,” Sinz said.

“The EIS was published in January. ROW has not yet been issued. It would cover both East Swanson River and Birch Hills,” she said. Sinz said permitting applications are being prepared.

Work could begin at Swanson River East later this summer if the company gets a green light from all agencies.

The Corps of Engineers and the Bureau of Land Management were the cooperating agencies with Fish and Wildlife for the environmental impact statement. Wetlands permits are needed from the Corps and drilling permits from BLM.

Birch Hills is approximately 1.5 miles north of the existing Swanson River unit; East Swanson is approximately 5 miles east of the unit. Most of the surface land is managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; some by BLM. A small amount of surface is owned by Tyonek Native Corp. Gas was found at the Birch Hill unit 22-25 well in 1965.

When asked if new pads would be put in at Birch Hills, Sinz said, “No, current plans call for initial work on the existing pad; possibly one new pad at north satellite. A small diameter pipeline will be required.” Three and a half miles of gravel access road will be needed, she said, to connect to the existing pad at Birch Hill.

If commercial quantities of gas are found, the pad will be enlarged to accommodate additional drilling. Production facilities will be installed on the pad and a pipeline-utility system will be buried adjacent to the access road.

The two satellite developments will require four-inch to 10-inch pipeline tied into the existing Swanson River field.