Cumulative Environmental Effects of Oil and Gas Activities on Alaska's North Slope (2003) / Chapter Skim
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4. History of Oil and Gas Activities
4. History of Oil and Gas Activities
Pages 32-50
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From page 32... ...
By 2001, oil development on Alaska's North Slope consisted of 19 producing fields and a network of roads, pipelines, and power lines that connect drill sites, production facilities, support facilities, and transportation hubs. Most of those facilities were in place before 1988, by which time the rate of growth had declined because of the full development of the large Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk oil fields and as a result of changes in technology.
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From page 33... ...
HISTORY OF OlL AND GAS ACTIVITIES 33 TABLE 4-1 continued 1958 Public Land Order 82 modified; federal leasing begins on the North Slope; first industry-sponsored geological field programs; Alaska Statehood Act passed 1962 First industry-sponsored seismic program 1963-1967 First industry exploration well drilled on the North Slope; 11 unsuccessful wells drilled; industry interest in the North Slope wanes 1964 First State of Alaska lease sale on the North Slope 1965 Area that eventually includes Pru&oe Bay leased 1967 Initial exploratory drilling at site that would become Pru&oe Bay field 1968 ARCO announces the discovery of Pru&oe Bay oil field, the largest in North America 1969 Kuparuk, West Sak, and Milne Point fields discovered; lease sales suspended on the North Slope for the next 10 years because secretary of the interior imposes freezes due to Native claims 1970 National Environmental Policy Act passed 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act passed 1974-1976 Federally sponsored exploration along the Barrow Arch 1976 Naval Petroleum Reserve-4 is transferred from the Navy to the Department of the Interior and renamed the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska; sale of crude oil from Petroleum Reserves 1, 2, and 3 authorized 1977 Trans-Alaska Pipeline system operational 1979 Initial leasing of portions of state and federal outer continental shelf (OCS) waters of the Beaufort Sea 1980 Alaska National Interests Land Conservation Act passed 1981 First OCS exploration well drilled 1982 Initial leasing of portions of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska 1984-1985 Seismic exploration of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge 1002 Area conducted 1985 First industry exploration well drilled in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska 1986 Arctic Slope Regional Corporation well drilled within the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Various times Initial leasing of portions of Arctic Slope Regional Corporation lands Early 1990s Last of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska leases from the initial leasing program are relinquished 1994 Discovery of Alpine field 2001 Northstar field begins production Development of Liberty field suspended !
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From page 35... ...
An important milestone was the completion of the North Slope Haul Road, eventually called the James Dalton Highway, which formed the work path for constructing the TransAlaska Pipeline and links Prudhoe Bay to the outside world. To the west, the Kuparuk oil field road network began to expand in 1978.
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From page 36... ...
WISST£) F K(ALUL3IK CRICK KALUElIK CREEK TO I |
From page 37... ...
CALCULATIONS OF AREA AFFECTED BY OIL FIELD DEVELOPMENT NORTH SLOPE, ALASKA YEAR 1983 CUMULATIVE VIEW An. FIGURE 4-5 Road network for oil-field development, 1983, cumulative view.
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From page 38... ...
Well casings, drill strings, mud, cement, diesel fuel, various types of equipment, and people are all transported to drill sites over ice roads or by aircraft. In remote locations, such as the North Slope, oil-field activities require a concentrated work schedule.
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From page 39... ...
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From page 40... ...
The shallowness of the Beaufort Sea in the Prudhoe Bay prevents large vessels from docking there. Three gravel causeways have been constructed to facilitate docking, to provide access to artificial-gravel production islands, and to draw seawater for waterflooding.
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From page 41... ...
2 Includes emissions from Prudhoe Bay Unit western and eastern operating areas, Milne Point, Endicott, and Lisburne. Does not include Kuparuk, Alpine, Northstar, Badami, or Pt.
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From page 42... ...
the mineral rights to the CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF ALASKA NORTH SLOPE OIL AND GAS resource itself (oil or gas) , the production facilities, and the pipeline distribution facilities (sometimes through cooperative ventures, as with the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, a consortium of companies that operates the TransAlaska Pipeline)
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From page 43... ...
River contains the main Prudhoe Bay oil field, Lisburne, Niakuk, Endicott, and several smaller oil fields. This area generally represents the technology used to construct the early oil fields.
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From page 44... ...
CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF ALASKA NORTH SLOPE OIL AND GAS 1968 1973 1977 1983 1988 1994 2001 Gravel roads and causeways Roads 677 1,002 2,029 2,448 2,536 2,745 Causeways 0 48 82 235 229 227 Total gravel road and causeway area 677 1,050 2,110 2,683 2,765 2,971 Airstrips (gravel or paved) 6 136 252 287 313 313 287 Offshore gravel pads, islands Exploration islands 0 0 5 54 57 57 53 Production islands 0 0 0 0 76 92 101 Total offshore gravel pad, island area 0 0 5 54 133 149 155 Gravel pads Production pads, drill sites 0 276 647 2,199 2,917 3,019 3,126 Processing facility pads 0 74 390 692 874 890 917 Support pads (camps, power stations)
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From page 45... ...
The area of gravel pads includes all exploration sites, drill sites, production pads, and support pads (camps, power stations)
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From page 46... ...
Other areas include disturbed areas around exploration sites, exploration airstrips with thin gravel, peat roads, tractor trails, and exploration roads. Seismic exploration trails, ice roads, and off-road vehicle tracks are not included.
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From page 47... ...
Many saline water spills have occurred on land. Most crude oil, petroleum products, and saline water spills were confined to gravel pads and roads.
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From page 48... ...
and Source of Current North Slope Freshwater Use in Established Oil Fields Field, Activity, Source or Operator 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 Surface water Total surface water Number of lakes Deep wells and other sources Total water use Prudhoe Bay East West Kuparuka Alpinea Milne Point Endicott Badami Northstar BP Exploration 181 132 159 o 38 o o 6 3 519 125 257 776 189 130 78 o 51 o 10 1 36 495 131 606 1,101 112 140 127 150 40 3 22 5 31 630 154 681 95 92 96 244 11 o 9 o 40 587 181 582 1,169 108 61 181 213 28 8 609 174 849 1,458 a Includes exploration. SOURCE: Data compiled by BP Exploration (Alaska)
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From page 49... ...
A variety of organizations have been established as a result of oil and gas activities the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation, the Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation, and various government departments of the North Slope Borough and communities. Those organizations have made, lost, and spent money.
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From page 50... ...
Scientific studies can confirm or contradict people's opinions, knowledge, hopes, and fears. Political discussions CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF ALASKA NORTH SLOPE OIL AND GAS can change perceptions, behavior, investments, and mental health.
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