The company announced its winter exploration program on Jan. 23, with plans to drill the Itiginkpak F-29 natural gas exploration well with Shell Canada. The well, which is on the Napartok structure, is located 17 miles northwest of Inuvik.

Michel Scott, Devon Canada's vice-president of Frontiers, said the ice road and lease site are currently under construction and drilling is expected to begin on Feb. 5.

"And if successful, we have a second location (two miles North of Itiginkpak) that will be prepared and we will be ready to move on this winter," he said.

Devon is also drilling another well with Petro-Canada, Nuna I-30, located approximately 56 miles northeast of Inuvik. Scott said all companies working for them this season will be locally-based.

"They are all local companies essentially ... we maximize local business opportunities and local employment opportunities," he said.

Not all contracts have been awarded yet. Mike Walsh, president of Arctic Oil and Gas Services, a camp catering and logistics company, said they submitted a bid to Devon a few weeks ago.

"We are still awaiting final outcome and we expect to hear from them in the next day or two," Scott said on Jan. 28.

He said the company is "certainly gearing up to support them."

At this point, Scott said he is not expecting any major activity to occur in the upcoming summer or fall, but is hoping that could change.