WorldWide Drilling Resource

19 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® DECEMBER 2016 New State Record for Overall Length of a Well Adapted from a Press Release by ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. ConocoPhillips Alaska Inc. announced it achieved a drilling record for Alaska at drill site CD5 in the Colville River Unit (Alpine) on Alaska’s North Slope. CD5 is the first com- mercial oil development on Alaska Native lands within the boundaries of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. Doyon Rig 19 drilled a horizontal injection well 26,196 feet, a record for overall meas- ured length of a well for the state. The well was drilled to a true vertical depth of approx- imately 7400 feet and had a horizontal leg of 17,228 feet. The well took 24 days to drill. “Longer wells allow the company to access more of the reservoir without increasing the gravel footprint of the development,” said Mike Wheatall, manager of drilling and wells for ConocoPhillips Alaska. “Ultimately, longer wells like these could mean more oil produced over a longer period of time.” ConocoPhillips Alaska President Joe Marushack was also pleased. “This exciting drilling record at Alpine is a significant technological achievement. This accomplishment continues our tradition of innovation and developing resources in a way that minimizes impacts to the environment. It’s something I’m very proud of, and I congratulate our drilling employees and contractors for their excellent work.” Alpine was the first North Slope field developed exclusively with horizontal well technology. More than 60 square miles of sub- surface can be accessed from a single drilling pad. Wheatall said advanced technolgy developed since oil was first struck at Alpine in 2000, has enabled longer wells capable of accessing more of the oil bearing zone in a field. Editor’s Note: In between our print issues, the WWDR Team prepares an electronic newsletter called -N w F s E e s la h . Based on readership, this was the most popular -N w F s E e s la h article of t he month. Get in on the action and subscribe today at : www.worldwidedrillingresource.com