State OKs seismic program modification

Petroleum News

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources, Division of Oil and Gas, has approved a modification to a seismic permit issued to SAExploration Inc. in early January for the Narwhal Phase II seismic shoot.

The division said the seismic survey is near Nuiqsut in the Colville River unit with equipment staged from existing Deadhorse facilities, and camp and equipment moved on existing gravel and ice roads to a point of tundra access.

The permit as originally approved authorized SAE to conduct land-based seismic on state land and wasters within the Colville Delta area from Jan. 4 through tundra closing in 2022. The original area was 59 square miles.

On Jan. 31 SAE submitted a proposed modification requesting surface access on an additional 26 square miles of land.

The division said SAE requested the additional square miles to facilitate access around the seismic survey area for tracked vehicles.

Thirty of the original 59 square miles approved in January are on state land, the division said. There are also BLM-managed lands in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and Kuukpik Corp. lands.

A map accompanying the amendment approval shows the majority of the area requested for access is on the eastern edge of the seismic shoot area, with a smaller amount on the western edge.

- Petroleum News