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Home My WebLink AboutCO 171Conservation Order Cover Page XHVZE This page is required for administrative purposes in managing the scanning process. It marks the extent of scanning and identifies certain actions that have been taken. Please insure that it retains it's current location in this file. ~_~_~ _ Conservation Order Category Identifier Organizing RESCAN [] Color items: [] Grayscale items: [] Poor Quality Originals: [] Other: NOTES: DIGITAL DATA [] Diskettes, No. [] Other, No/Type OVERSIZED (Scannable with large plotter/scanner) [] Maps: [] Other items OVERSIZED (Not suitable for plotter/scanner, may work with 'log' scanner) [] Logs of various kinds [] Other · BY: ,~'~7~A R IA Scanning Preparation TOTAL PAGES DATE: ~/,(/.~- ,~ .~ ~-~ Production Scanning Stage I PAGE COUNT FROM SCANNED DOCUMENT: _ ~ PAGE COUNT MATCHES NUMBER IN SCANNING PREPARATION: ~ YES NO Stage 2 IF NO IN STAGE 1, PAGE(S) DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND: ~ YES NO (SCANNING IS COMPLETE AT THIS POINT UNLESS SPECIAL ATTENTION IS REQUIRED ON AN INDIVIDUAL PAGE BASIS DUE TO QUALITY, GRAYSCALE OR COLOR IMAGES) III II I I General Notes or Comments about this Document: 5/21/03 ConservOrdCvrPg.wpd STATE OF ALASKA ALASKA OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION 3001 Porcupine Drive Anchorage, Alaska 99501 Re: THE APPLICATION OF EXXON ) COMPANY, U.S.A. for excep- ) tion to 20 AAC 25.035(c)(2) ) of the regulations for the ) drilling of the Point Thom- ) son Unit No. 6, the Alaska ) State "D" No. 1 and the ) Alaska State "E" No. 1 wells) Conservation Order No. 171 Exxon Company, U' S.A. Point Thomson Unit No. 6 Alaska State "D" No. 1 Alaska State "E" No. 1 November 14, 1980 IT APPEARING THAT: 1. Exxon Company, U.S.A. submitted an application, dated October 24, 1980, requesting an exception to 20 AAC 25.035(c)(2) for the three subject wells. 20 AAC 25.035 (c)(2) requires the working preSsure of any BOP and associated equipment to exceed the maximum surface pressure to which they may be subjected. · Exxon Company, U.S.A., in prior correspondence dated September 23, 1980 and made part of their application, states that the working pressure of the annular preven- ter should be selected based upon the anticipated surface pressure which would be encountered in well control operations. · Exxon Company, U.S.A. further states that in prudent operating practice, the annular preventer is isolated from excessive pressure and would never be subjected to pressures exceeding 5000 psi. 4' ·. Exxon Company, U.S.A ' adds that by design and Operational usage, an annular preventer is intended to provide for a limited range of functions under low to moderate pressure, for example less than 5000 psi. · · Exxon Company, U.S.A. fu~fther states that using .a 5000 psi working pressure annular preventer as part of a · blowout preventer system whose other comPonents are rated for 10,000 psi is in accord with accepted safe industry practice and with American Petroleum Institute guidelines. Notic~ .of the application was published in the An~hOrage ~Dai'ly News on November 1, 1980. Conservation Order No. 171 7. There were no protests to the application. FINDINGS: 1. The BOP configuration proposed for the subject wells is in accordance with API RP 53, Section 2-C, which accepts as safe a 5000 psi annular preventer in con- junction with 10,000 psi ram preventers. . Exxon Company, U.S.A. will utilize two 10,000 psi pipe rams preventers and a 10,000 psi blind ram preventer in addition to the annular preventer. . Investigation by the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission indicates that the use of a 10,000 psi working pressure annular preventer does not offer greater safety than a 5000 psi working pressure annular preventer. . The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has already granted an excePtion to the referenced regula- tion and is currently in the process of proposing a regulation change to remedy this overrestrictive sec- tion. CONCLUSION: The requested exception will not result in drilling operations that are unsafe. NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED THAT: The Exxon Company, U.S.A. is exempted from the requirements of 20 AAC 25.035(c)(2) to drill the Point Thomson Unit No. 6 well, the Alaska State ',D" No. 1 well and the Alaska State "E" No. 1 well using a 5000 psi working pressure annular preventer in conjunction with the 10,000 psi working pressure ram preventers. DONE at Anchorage, Alaska and dated. November 14, 1980. hgSy%~. -Hamlltv '~'o5 ' ' Chairman Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Harry W. Kdgler Commissioner Alaska ~i]. and Ga~nservation Commission Lo~Fe C. Smi Commissioner Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING STATE OF ALASKA Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Conservation File No. 171 Re: The application of Exxon Company, U.S.A., dated October 24, 1980, for an order granting an exception to 20 AAC 25.035(c)2 of the regulations for the drilling of the fol- lowing Artic Slope wells: 1) Point Thomson Unit No. 6 2) Alaska State "D" No. 1 3) Alaska State "E" No.1 Notice is hereby given that Exxon Company U.S.A., has re- quested the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to issue an order granting an exception to the BOP equipment requirements of the referenced regulation for the three exploratory wells listed above. The operator proposes to use for each well a 5,000 psi (instead of 10,000 psi) annular preventer in conjunction with three 10,000 psi ram preventers. The operator states that this is in accordance with API RP 53, Section 2-C and this is in accord with accepted safe industry practice. Parties who may be aggrieved if the referenced order is issued are allowed 10 days from the date of this publication in which to file a protest in writing, stating in detail, the nature of the aggrievement, and a request for a hearing. The place of filing is the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation COmmission, 3001 Porcupine Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99501. If such a protest is timely filed, a hearing on the matter will be held at the above address at 9:00 AM on November 13, 1980 at which time protestants and others may be heard. If no such protest is timely filed, the Commission will consider the issuance of the order without a hearing. Harry W. Kugler Commissioner Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission