Temperature and depth of permafrost on the arctic slope of Alaska
The temperature and depth of permafrost in Arctic sedimentary basins are of considerable importance in connection with petroleum exploration and production, but there is much confusion and surprisingly little information about them. They are important because a knowledge of the temperature field is needed for an understanding of the state of the material (water, ice, brine, and gas hydrates) filling pores in the sediment; this understanding, in turn, is important for the interpretation of seismic surveys and for dealing with engineering problems associated with well completions and the production, storage, and transportation of petroleum. The reason so little information is available on the temperature and depth of permafrost is that holes drilled by the petroleum industry do not generally remain idle and accessible for precision temperature logging during the long times required for the thermal disturbance caused by drilling to dissipate. A rare opportunity to obtain undisturbed temperatures in permafrost was provided through the efforts of our colleagues in the USGS' Office of National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska (ONPRA). During the course of exploratory drilling in the NPRA, 21 of the wells were completed according to a special procedure in which the upper 600 m was filled with a nonfreezing fluid (diesel oil) and preserved in a condition that permits subsequent reentry for precision temperature logging.
- OSTI ID:
- 7129094
- Journal Information:
- United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA), Journal Name: United States Geological Survey, Professional Paper; (USA)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ALASKA
STRATEGIC PETROLEUM RESERVE
PERMAFROST
DEPTH
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
DATA ANALYSIS
EXPLORATION
EXPLORATORY WELLS
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
TEMPERATURE LOGGING
WELL COMPLETION
DIMENSIONS
ENGINEERING
FEDERAL REGION X
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
RESERVES
RESOURCES
SURVEYS
USA
WELL LOGGING
WELLS
020200* - Petroleum- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration