Fabrication on the project is in process at sites across the United States. “Willow will be built using materials primarily made and sourced in the U.S. and has the potential to create over 2,500 construction jobs and approximately 300 long-term jobs,” Boys said. Willow is in the federally-owned National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska located west of the major producing fields, which are on state lands east of the Colville River. The project involves three drill sites, roads, pipelines and utilities, and most importantly a new, standalone processing facility. Currently, oil and gas fluids from the two existing production pads in NPR-A, the GMT-1, and GMT-2 pads, are shipped as mixed crude oil, gas and water fluids through pipelines to be separated and processed in facilities in the Alpine field. The new processing plant to be built at Willow will have the capacity and proximity to make possible the economic development of Willow area oil deposits. Willow has been a hardfought project for ConocoPhillips. Out-of-state conservation groups sued to stop the project, arguing that environmental reviews and permitting for the project done initially under previous president Donald Trump were hurried and flawed. After taking over from Trump, the Biden Administration initiated a supplemental environmental review and ultimately decided to re-approve the project in a modified form. In March 2023, the U.S. Department of the Interior issued its record of decision (ROD) adopting BLM’s preferred project alternative, with additional mitigation measures. In November 2023, U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska Judge Sharon Gleason upheld BLM’s ROD, rejecting the legal challenges. That led to ConocoPhillips announcing Final Investment Decision (FID) in December 2023. Although Willow is the biggest new ConocoPhillips project this year, it isn’t the only one. Project construction activities will begin this year and continue in 2024 with pipeline and on-pad construction for Nuna, in the Kuparuk River Unit, officially known as the Kuparuk 3T Drillsite. Drilling is anticipated to begin in late 2024 with first oil anticipated by early 2025, and an expected peak oil rate of 20,000 barrels per day. The Nuna project will add 29 development wells, on-pad infrastructure and pipelines that tie back to existing KRU processing facilities. Drillsite 3T will be the 49th drillsite developed within the KRU. Nuna was originally discovered by Caelus Energy, a Dallas-based independent, in 2015 with some initial development work done, such as construction of a pad and access road. Caelus had to put the project on the shelf, however, when crude oil prices crashed in 2016. Nuna was eventually sold to ConocoPhillips, which operates the Kuparuk River Unit. — Tim Bradner Linking Alaska’s Resources to Alaska’s People 18 2024 Meet Alaska Conference & Trade Show CONTINUED from PAGE 16 Photos Courtesy ConocoPhillips Alaska
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