The company started gearing up for drilling operations at the Point Thomson oil and gas reservoir last month. ExxonMobil Production Company mobilized the drilling rig for the Point Thomson Project April 22. Because there are no permanent roads to Point Thomson, over 30 miles of ice road along the Beaufort Sea shoreline had to be constructed to enable the transport of heavy equipment and materials while still protecting the North Slope environment.
Alaska Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Irwin had authorized the ice-road permits in January, allowing mobilization of the drilling rig and guiding other regulatory agencies to expedite permitting to allow drilling to begin.
According to industry journal Rigzone:
The initial phase of the project will process approximately 200 million cubic feet per day of Point Thomson gas in order to produce approximately 10,000 barrels per day of liquid condensate into the Trans Alaska Pipeline System by year end 2014. The remaining gas will then be recycled into the Point Thomson reservoir. The Point Thomson Unit working interest owners committed $120 million to the drilling and development activities in 2008, with additional investments of about $250 million expected in 2009.Gov. Palin today said that she was pleased with ExxonMobil's progress:
"Today's action shows that our perseverance is paying off. We congratulate ExxonMobil on their successful efforts, and commend them for fulfilling their recent commitments to the state."Commissioner Irwin also hailed the oil giant's commencement of drilling activities:
"Today's action by ExxonMobil is an important milestone in the continuing effort to see production of our state resources at Point Thomson."- JP
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