by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (Mar 17/97) - Inuvialuit Petroleum Corporation has announced the successful re-entry and test of the Ikhil K-35 well originally drilled by Gulf Canada Resources Ltd. in 1986.

"Our objective in re-entering this well was to prove the reserves necessary for us to proceed with our project to supply gas to the town of Inuvik. We are extremely pleased with the results so far and are confident our project will go ahead," says Russell Newmark, chairman of IPC.

Last month, IPC put a service rig and testing equipment at the Ikhil site. The purpose of the test was to ensure sufficient reserves to supply natural gas to Inuvik for a minimum of 20 years.

All fuel currently consumed in Inuvik is imported from southern Canada despite the presence of vast reserves of oil and natural gas in the Beaufort-Mackenzie Delta region.