|
Kuparuk pipeline, pad expansions planned
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
ConocoPhillips Alaska has applied for a gravel expansion of its Drillsite 3T pad in the Kuparuk River unit and for new pipelines between the DS 3S and DS 2X pads, both in the area where the company has recently received approval of the Coyote and Torok participating areas.
In applications to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas, ConocoPhillips said work is planned for 2025 at the DS 3T gravel expansion, and for 2025-26 for the pipeline work.
In its application for the pipelines, the company said increased production in the Greater Kuparuk area "is exceeding the processing capacity at Central Processing Facility 3," with the ongoing development at DS 3S and DS 3T expected to "result in a significant increase of produced oil," making it necessary to install new pipelines so additional oil can be routed the Central Processing Facility 2 where there is capacity to handle additional oil.
Coyote, Torok PAs
The division approved an expansion of the Kuparuk River unit and formation of the Coyote PA in October, with Coyote wells to be drilled from both DS 3S and DS 3T. Some 30 to 40 additional wells are planned for Coyote development, half producers and half injectors.
Formation of the Torok PA was also approved in October, with up to eight wells in the Torok PA part of the 2024-25 Kuparuk plan of development, which covers Aug. 1, 2024, through July 31, 2025. Existing Coyote wells are from DS 3S, but the company said 3T will accommodate both Torok and Coyote production.
DS 3T expansion
ConocoPhillips said the 3T pad expansion will involve placing some 33,172 cubic yeads of clean gravel fill and erosion control bags filled with clean gravel onto some 2.56 acres of tundra, expanding the pad to the north, east and south, allowing "clearance for traffic and equipment to safely pass around the drill rig and frac fleets."
The company said the existing DS 3T pad is lined with erosion control bags, and the same will be true of the expansion area, protecting "against possible erosion in the event of a 100-year flood."
Work on the pad expansion is scheduled to begin Feb. 1 or once permits are received.
DS 3S to DS 2X pipelines
The pipeline installation consists of 10.8 miles of pipeline from DS 3S to DS 2X, including a 20-inch diameter produced oil pipeline, a 10-inch diameter water-injections pipeline and space for a future pipeline, the company said in its application, and will include piping, vertical support members, access platforms, cable trays and guardrails, with all work taking place from existing gravel and ice infrastructure in the Kuparuk River unit.
Work on the pipelines is scheduled to begin Nov. 1, 2025.
The company said the produced oil line will be connected to existing structure near the DS 2U pipeline access road.
The pipelines will begin at DS 3S some 11.3 miles west of CPF-3.
All permit applications were scheduled to be submitted in the fourth quarter of 2024, with vertical support member and pipeline installation from the fourth quarter of 2025 into the second quarter of 2026.
|
