According to the Unified Command, efforts following the Jan. 23 Western North Slope rig move incident near Nuiqsut have progressed, allowing the second phase of the response to begin. That work is focusing on further inspection of the structure, removal of any remaining fluids or debris, and transportation of the rig to another location.
Doyon Drilling Inc. continues to lead response activities under the unified command structure.
Crews continue to responsibly navigate periods of unsafe weather conditions. Spill response crews have continued flushing contaminated areas with water and as of mid-February have recovered an estimated 1,132 gallons of spilled product for disposal.
Ice road and pad construction have progressed, and crews are beginning the process of removing the rig from the tundra, beginning with deconstructing and removing the crown of the rig. The deconstructed rig will ultimately be cleaned and ultimately be transported to a recycling facility.
The response team is continuing to evaluate the site and there remains no immediate risk to the community, infrastructure, air quality, drinking water sources, nearby waterways, traffic or wildlife. Unified Command will continue to provide regular updates and engage with key stakeholders, including in the community of Nuiqsut.
The full three phase response process is noted below:
Containment, cleanup, and mitigation of the impacted area, as well as ongoing safety evaluations for working around the rig.
Further inspection of the structure, removal of any remaining fluids or debris, and transportation of the rig to another location. (This phase is now underway.)
Final cleanup, mitigation, and remediation of the entire affected area.
Growth without gravel
Doyon Rig 26 was one of the North Slope's most innovative drilling rigs. It could drill targets some 7 miles from its surface location.
This means the 9.5 million-pound high-tech extended reach drilling rig was capable of developing 154 square miles of reservoir versus the standard 55 square miles.
Thought to be the largest mobile land rig in North America, Doyon 26 was expected to increase Alaska oil production by accessing previously unreachable resources without expanding the surface footprint.
"Extended reach technology has been a game changer for ConocoPhillips," said Vincent Lelarge, vice president, Alaska asset development, at the time. "It's how we are able to responsibility develop fields like Fiord West Kuparuk with a minimal footprint on the tundra and the surrounding environment."
Lelarge said CPAI worked collaboratively on the Doyon 26 rig since 2011 when use of an extended reach drilling rig was being evaluated. From front-end engineering and design studies to ConocoPhillips Canada colleagues collaborating with Doyon Drilling during construction, the companies worked hard to build the big rig.
Rig 26's first well on the North Slope of Alaska was the Fiord West satellite CD2-310 well, completed in 2022.
The big ERD rig, dubbed the "Beast" because of its immense size, drilled CD2-310 into the Kuparuk formation to a total measured depth of 35,526 feet, making it the longest North American land based well to date.
Updates
Regular updates, including photos of the response effort, will continue to be shared at: www.doyon.com/2026-western-north-slope-rig-move-incident-information-hub.
For more information, contact the Joint Information Center at [email protected] or call 907-452-0507.
The Unified Command Response Team is comprised of representatives from Doyon Drilling Inc.; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC); the North Slope Borough (NSB); and the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope (ICAS).
