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Operations plan modifications approved by DNR
Great Bear Pantheon's change of bottomhole location for Megrez 1 and two Hilcorp amendments, one in Milne, the other in Prudhoe, get green light Kay Cashman Petroleum News
In the last few weeks the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas has approved three amendments to plans of operations, including Great Bear Pantheon's change of bottomhole location for the Megrez 1 exploration well, Hilcorp Alaska's installation of a polymer injection module at J Pad in the Milne Point Unit and Hilcorp North Slope's expansion of the GHX 60 access road in the Prudhoe Bay Unit.
(See map in the online issue PDF)
On Oct. 14 the division sent Pat Galvin, Great Bear Pantheon's chief commercial officer, approval to adjust the downhole location of the Megrez 1 exploration well.
The surface location of the Megrez pad will remain the same as described in the original approval dated Aug. 29, however the well trajectory will pass through ADL 394101 and terminate in ADL 394202.
The non-unitized leases are operated by Great Bear and are directly adjacent to the Talitha Unit
This plan modification also includes widening of the driveway from the previously approved width of 24 feet to 34 feet. The increased width is necessary to provide the drill rig and support equipment safe access to the site.
Drilling operations are scheduled to begin in November.
Polymer injection On Oct. 8 Hilcorp Alaska received authorization to install a polymer injection module and associated infrastructure at J Pad in the Milne Point Unit.
The polymer injection module will measure approximately 8.5 feet by 54 feet and will be placed on a foundation of 2-inch-thick foam boards, 6-inch-thick rig mats, and approximately four steel beams.
The foam boards and rig mats will provide insulation and prevent subsidence on pad, and the steel beams will act as support for the polymer injection module.
A 75-foot-long section of 2-inch diameter piping will tie-in the module to existing polymer processes on the pad.
The purpose of the polymer project is to enhance oil recovery of the recently drilled wells at J Pad.
GHX 60 access road On Oct. 8, Hilcorp North Slope received authorization from the division to expand the GHX 60 access road in the Prudhoe Bay Unit. The road is approximately 8 miles northwest of Deadhorse.
A 400-foot segment of the road will be expanded by approximately 10 feet on the west side of the road.
Seven hundred and fifty cubic yards of gravel will be placed, impacting approximately 0.1 acre of tundra.
Gravel will be sourced from previously permitted sources.
No gravel will be placed during the summer season (June-July) to avoid disturbance of nesting birds and to mitigate impacts to tundra.
After placing the gravel, maintenance will be conducted on the GHX 60 pipeline where there has been subsidence, and approximately 30 VSMs will be repaired or replaced to provide additional support.
This project was previously approved on Aug. 29 but required an update to increase the amount of VSM repairs to be completed.
The purpose of this project is to provide an increased access area for pipeline maintenance and repair.
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