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Colville, Kuparuk pad expansions approved
Kristen Nelson
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas recently approved three pad expansions requested by ConocoPhillips Alaska, two at the Colville River unit and one at the Kuparuk River unit.
The Jan. 30 Kuparuk approval is for a gravel expansion at Drill Site 3T. The expansion is on the north, east and south sides of the pad and totals 2.56 acres, providing space for traffic and equipment movement. The division said erosion control bags filled with 2.1 cubic yards of clean gravel will line the expansion area, protecting against potential erosion, with 33,172 cubic yards of clean gravel needed for both the expansion and erosion control bags. The gravel will come from Mine Site C or other existing permitted sources within the Kuparuk River unit. Drill Site 3T is some 11 miles southwest of Oliktok Point.
Colville River unit A Jan. 30 Colville River unit approval is for expansion of the northeast side of the Colville Delta No. 1 gravel pad to provide space for up to 55 additional conexes and an aviation warm storage tent. The division said the conexes will store camp catering, housekeeping and operations supplies, "to maintain safe and reliable operation of existing North Slope infrastructure and to support ongoing and planned activities." The expansion will place some 10,740 cubic yards of clean gravel fill on 0.92 acres at the Alpine Operations Center.
CD1 is adjacent to the airstrip apron and existing Shark Tooth camp, with gravel to be sourced from Mine Site C in the Kuparuk River unit or other existing permitted sources. The new aviation warm storage tent, some 60 feet long and 40 feet wide, will support aviation operations, making it possible to decrease the number of flights needed to supply Alpine, as well as increasing aircraft operations, pedestrian and vehicle safety and camp efficiency. The new conexes will be both powered and unpowered, with a new power cable trenched some 91 feet from the existing Shark Tooth camp to the gravel addition to power the new bull rail. The project is scheduled to begin Feb. 15.
A Jan. 31 approval is for expansion of the CD1 pad on the west side by some 0.48 acres requiring some 6,250 cubic yards of clean gravel which will be sourced from Mine Site in the Kuparuk River unit.
The expansion, scheduled to begin Feb. 1, is to increase vehicle and equipment traffic safety and provide additional space for rig movement on the pad. CD1 is some 9 miles northeast of Nuiqsut.
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