Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Sep 13/02) - Despite the speculation of a Mackenzie Valley pipeline, there is not much exploration activity planned this winter from most producers.

In comparison to previous years, most energy companies are scaling back on exploration and drilling this year.

Imperial Oil spokesperson Hart Searle said this year's work in the NWT will be limited to Norman Wells.

"In our plan for next year, we're looking at drilling four in-fill wells in our Norman Wells field next summer," Searle said. "We do not have any exploration planned for the winter season."

ConocoPhillips' general manager of public affairs, Peter Hunt, said the company plans a "moderate-sized" 2-D seismic program on exploration license 384 and 385, near Parsons Lake.

Hunt said ConocoPhillips may drill this winter, but has not yet made a decision.

"We're still in the middle of analyzing data that we got from the seismic work we did last year," Hunt said.

Shell Canada's senior seismic supervisor, John Brown, said most of the work to be done this year will be based on the outcome of Shell's work last year.

"We're hoping to go ahead with a drilling program, but we're still doing the technical work on that," Brown said.

"The final decision won't be made until the end of October."

The company is still evaluating data based on some 3-D and 2-D seismic shot last year at EL 403, between Inuvik and Aklavik. Brown said they may have more to do this winter, depending on budgeting.

Rob Jefferies, manager of land frontiers for Anadarko Canada Corporation, says the company plans to continue a seismic program they started last year.

Anadarko will be shooting up to 200 kilometres of 2-D seismic, primarily on land, near the Kendall Island Bird Sanctuary.

EnCana has up-coming community consultation beginning in Inuvik on Sept. 16 and would not release any details until then. ChevronTexaco spokesperson Delona Butcher said the company's Mackenzie Delta Partnership with BP and Burlington Resources, has sought approval to drill this winter.

"We'll be drilling one well on North Langley Island, which is on exploration licence EL-394," Butcher said.

The resource is shallow and will only require about 2,000 metres of drilling.

Last year, Chevron shot three 3-D seismic programs -- one near Inuvik and two in the North Delta. Butcher said they are still reviewing that data and won't likely do any more this year.

Shell Canada has filed regulatory papers in hopes to drill one new well this winter.

Heather Taylor, community and Northern affairs advisor with Devon Canada said they will be working with partners PetroCanada, but have not finalized plans for the winter program yet.

Devon has completed a 3-D marine seismic program in the Beaufort Sea on exploration licences 408, 409, 410 and 411.

"It wasn't as successful as last season because of ice conditions, but we do have over 90 per cent of the program shot," she said.

Devon's partner PetroCanada will take the lead on another well near Tuk, hoping for the same success they had with a 200 to 300 billion cubic feet of gas discovered at the M-18 well last year.

PetroCan spokesperson Chris Dawson said the Nuna well is located about 40 kilometres south of Tuk.

"It's following that Eskimo Lake trend, Dawson said. "The same trend we had success with that Tuk M-18 well."

Dawson said if they decide to do any seismic work this year, it will be minimal.

"If you compare it to years past, I guess it is a bit of a slowdown for us this year," Dawson said. "We are in the midst of regrouping a bit to tailor our exploration in years to come."