Malcolm Gorrill
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Aug 24/01) - Petro-Canada hopes to drill two or three exploratory wells within the Kurk, Kugpik and Napartok areas in the upcoming season.

Company representative John Hunt spoke on the proposals last week in Inuvik.

He said the total number of wells drilled and the exact locations will be decided in September or October, following analysis of last year's seismic information.

All proposed drilling locations are located on Crown lands within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

The Kurk shallow well drilling site is located about 105 kilometres northwest of Inuvik. The Kugpik site is 85 kilometres northwest of Inuvik, and the Napartok site is 39 kilometres northwest of town.

If two wells are drilled, a winter well from the Napartok locations will be drilled first, followed by a summer well at either Kurk or Kugpik.

If three wells are drilled, the first winter well drilled will be a shallow well at Kurk, followed by another winter well at Naportok, and finally a summer well at either Kurk or Kugpik. The summer well will begin before breakup in April and will be concluded at next freeze up.

Akita Equtak has been contracted to do the drilling.

Each of the proposed locations have access to river channels where 500-metre ice airstrips can be built.

Fuel to support the drilling programs will be located at the Swimming Point base camp, at the rig site, and on fuel barges.

For both the summer and winter drilling programs, Petro-Canada will use a 60-person Akita camp that is paired with Akita-Equtak Rig 60.