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Preparing for Willow oil
ConocoPhillips to start work on pipeline crossings on existing KRU roads
Kay Cashman Petroleum News
On May 15 ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc., or CPAI, received authorization from Alaska's Division of Oil and Gas to install several pipeline casings on existing gravel roads in the Kuparuk River unit. The casings, measuring 24 to 36 inches in diameter and approximately 80 feet in length, will support the future installation of Willow pipelines, which will be permitted separately.
(See map in the online issue PDF)
The authorization to conduct the work on state lands in the Kuparuk River unit was couched in five separate applications dated April 19 as a KRU plan of operations amendment: CPF2, DS-2F, DS-2G, DS-2H and Tarn Road.
The work is to begin in June. If activities have not commenced, the individual approvals will expire on May 15, 2026.
CPF2 and DS-2F are approximately 7 miles southwest of the Kuparuk airport.
DS-2G is located approximately 9 miles from the Kuparuk airport.
DS-2H is roughly 10 miles southwest of the Kuparuk airport.
The Tarn Road project is located about 13 miles southwest of the Kuparuk airport.
Plan for CPF2 The scope of the Kuparuk River unit CPF2 gravel and casings unit plan of operations amendment on ADL 25654 involves installing four casings and placing approximately 160 cubic yards of clean gravel fill onto the existing Central Processing Facility 2 gravel road.
The project, CPAI said, is necessary to support the future installation of the Willow pipelines, which will be permitted separately.
Two casings will be installed containing pipe segments that will be connected to a utility and products pipeline. The other two casings will be installed for future pipeline use.
All work will take place from existing gravel and no gravel will be placed on the tundra.
Plan for DS-2F The scope of Kuparuk River unit DS-2F gravel and casings unit plan of operations amendment on ADL 25656 involves installing two pipeline casings and placing approximately 2,000 cubic yards of clean gravel at the pipeline crossing on the existing Drill Site 2F access road in the KRU.
The casings will support the future installation of the Willow pipelines, which will be permitted separately.
The gravel will be placed on top of the existing gravel road and an additional 0.11 acres of tundra to widen the road at the pipeline crossing. All work will take place from existing gravel.
Plan activities include:
* Excavate and install casing.
* Backfill excavation.
* Haul, place and compact gravel.
Plan for DS-2G The scope of Kuparuk River unit DS-2G gravel and casings unit plan of operations amendment on ADL 25656 involves installing two pipeline casings that will support the future installation of the Willow pipelines, which will be permitted separately.
All work will take place from existing gravel roads.
Plan activities include:
* Excavate and install casings.
* Place and compact gravel
Plan for DS-2H The scope of Kuparuk River unit DS-2H gravel and casings unit plan of operations amendment on ADL 25587 involves installing two pipeline casings on the existing Drill Site 2H.
The casings will support the future installation of the Willow pipelines, which will be permitted separately.
All work will take place from existing gravel roads.
Plan activities include:
* Excavate and install casings.
* Backfill excavation.
* Haul, place, and compact gravel.
Plan for Tarn Road The scope of the Kuparuk River unit Tarn Road gravel and casings unit plan of operations amendment on ADL 25586 involves installing two pipeline casings on the road leading to Drill Site 2N.
The casings will support the future installation of the Willow pipelines, which will be permitted separately.
All work will take place from existing gravel roads.
Plan activities include:
* Excavation and casing installation.
* Place and compact gravel.
Giant field Production from Willow is estimated to peak between 180,000 and 200,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day - approximately 600 million barrels over the life of the project, ConocoPhillips Alaska President Erec Isaacson has said.
Production is estimated by the company to begin Sept. 1, 2029.
The $7-7.5 billion Willow project will generate 2,000 jobs in the construction phase. Nine million construction manhours are expected to go into the project over the period, Isaacson said.
Willow will create 300 permanent jobs.
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