Alaska: it isn't all Prudhoe Bay
Alaska has a tremendously large land area that is almost a quarter the size of the conterminous U.S. and it has the largest oil field discovered on the North American Continent. Of its 586,000 sq miles, less than 15% is considered favorable for petroleum prospecting. Of contrasting significance, however, is the fact that its continental shelf area is almost the size of its land area and a considerable part of that shelf has petroleum potential. Arctic offshore operations involve a whole major field of research and experimentation. Drilling, completion, transportation, and service present some very demanding problems in the extreme cold and in areas subject to the annual ice formation that reaches thickness of 5 to 6 ft. The author does not discuss Prudhoe Bay but, instead, discusses some other shelf areas - the Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea-Bristol Bay, and the Chukchi Sea.
- OSTI ID:
- 5007397
- Journal Information:
- Drilling; (United States), Journal Name: Drilling; (United States) Vol. 34:12; ISSN DRILA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Geologic framework, petroleum potential, and environmental geology of the United States Beaufort and northeasternmost Chukchi Seas
Parlaying Prudhoe oil
Related Subjects
020200* -- Petroleum-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
ALASKA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTINENTAL SHELF
DRILLING
EVALUATION
EXPLORATION
FEDERAL REGION X
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GULF OF ALASKA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
OIL FIELDS
PACIFIC OCEAN
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
WELL COMPLETION
WELL DRILLING