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Forcenergy: Cook Inlet focus of Alaska activity which began with 1996 purchase of Marathon Oil’s crude production Company became an operator with West McArthur River field acquisition in 1997; will explore offshore at Redoubt Shoal in 1999 with mobile platform now under construction in the Far East Terri Doyle PNA Contributing Writer
Forcenergy Inc. came to Alaska in 1996 when it acquired Marathon Oil Co.’s oil interests in the McArthur River and Trading Bay fields in Cook Inlet.
In 1997, Forcenergy purchased the West McArthur River unit, its first operated producing property in Alaska.
Forcenergy’s exploratory land position began with 34,000 net acres purchased in state Sale 85A in December 1996; 4,000 acres of federal outer continental shelf acreage in 1997; and 48,000 net acres in state sale 85AW in 1998. Other holdings include 40,000 acres purchased in 1996 from Danco Petroleum, including the Redoubt Shoal unit lands and assorted leases acquired from Cook Inlet Region Inc. and other operators.
Plans for 1999 include exploratory drilling in Redoubt Shoal field, three miles off West Foreland, from a mobile drilling platform being constructed for the company in the Far East. Development is expected to continue at McArthur River Field and Trading Bay Field where Forcenergy is a partner with operator Unocal Alaska Resources.
Forcenergy is a growing oil and gas exploration and production company with headquarters in Miami, Fla. In addition to its Anchorage location, Forcenergy has a large operating division in New Orleans. It’s all about energy Since securing a presence in Alaska, Forcenergy has led bidding in the last three Cook Inlet lease sales: 85A in 1996, federal lease sale number 149 in 1997 and 85AW in 1998. Forcenergy is responsible for the West McArthur River unit No. 5, 1998’s highest rated oil producer in the Cook Inlet. According to its web site, Forcenergy is the number one ranked independent leaseholder of exploration acreage in the state of Alaska producing approximately 8,500 net barrels of oil per day.
The company said its existing Cook Inlet asset base contains the infrastructure of platforms, production equipment and pipelines necessary to drill and add production with minimal time delays and with minimal incremental operating costs. Strategy and support The company’s strategy is to continue increasing reserves and cash flow through exploration and development of company properties and through developmental property acquisition. The company has also begun to expose a small portion of its budget (10 percent) to higher-risk, higher-reward exploration opportunities both domestically and internationally. Forcenergy has recently obtained exploratory plays in offshore Gabon, West Africa and Australia.
Forcenergy emphasizes the use of high-tech analytical tools including 3-D seismic and computer-enhanced data reprocessing to evaluate and prioritize drilling prospects. Analysis of the company’s Gulf of Mexico asset base has drilling prospects that may be reached from existing production facilities.
Forcenergy believes this strategy will minimize time delays and capital costs associated with facility construction and operating expense while allowing a balance between higher-potential exploratory wells and lower-risk development wells. Forcenergy is aiming to implement this proven strategy in Alaska.
Heading up the Alaska team is Gary Carlson, supported by 25 employees including Paul White, drilling manager, John Amundsen, safety, health and environmental manager, Jim Arlington, land manager and Kim Bateman, office manager. Meet Gary Carlson Since Forcenergy’s entry into the Alaska market, vice president Gary E. Carlson has headed up the company’s operations in the state. Carlson was with Unocal for 28 years, most recently as the company’s worldwide general manager of health, environmental and safety support. He also served as president of Unocal’s Indonesia operations and as managing director for the company’s operations in the Netherlands.
Carlson holds both bachelor of science and master of science degrees in petroleum engineering from Montana Tech and in 1995, he received the school’s distinguished alumni award for his service and accomplishments in business.
Originally from Anaconda, Mont., Carlson told PNA he accepted the position with Forcenergy partly for the opportunity to live in Alaska. After 16 moves in a 30-year oil industry career, he is looking forward to completing his working career in Alaska. When Carlson is not working, he enjoys golf, travel and fishing.
Carlson is on the board of directors for The Anchorage Petroleum Club, Cook Inlet Pipeline Co., Montana Tech foundation and the Alaska Oil and Gas Association. Currently, he is treasurer for AOGA. He is also an active member of the Nature Conservancy. He served as president of the Indonesia Petroleum Association in 1995 and treasurer of the Netherlands Oil and Gas Producers Association in 1992. Alaska Location Forcenergy’s operational division in Alaska is located at 310 K St., Suite 700 in Anchorage. They can be reached by phone at 907 258-8600 or by fax at 907 258-8601. The company-wide web site is located at www.forcenergy.net.
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