Construction Guidelines for Oil and Gas Exploration in Northern Alaska

• Main Author: Crory, Frederick E.
• Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER NH
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1991
• Subjects: Environmental Health and Safety; *ENVIRONMENTS; *LANDING FIELDS; *OILS; ABANDONMENT; ALASKA; BACKGROUND; CLIMATE; CONSTRUCTION; DRILLS; ICE; OPERATION; PERMAFROST; ROADS; RUNWAYS; SNOW; SURFACES; TUNDRA; VEGETATION; WINTER; Oil exploration; Gas exploration; Arctic; Ice; permafrost; Tundra; Alaska
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA247609; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA247609

This report addresses the unique problems associated with oil and gas explorations in northern Alaska and provides background information on the climate and environment, including the permanently frozen ground that exists throughout the area. Information on exploration efforts in the 1940s and 1950s is also included to demonstrate what happens when summertime operations disturb the surface vegetation and thermal regime of the frozen tundra, being the basis for why such operations are no longer permitted. Separate chapters are provided on the design, construction and operation of winter trails, roads, airfields and drill pads, including a separate chapter on their abandonment. Emphasis is placed on how, why and when to accomplish the various tasks to successfully accomplish an exploration. Airfields, Drill pads, Oil and gas exploration, Snow roads, Unsurfaced roads, Arctic construction, Ice runways, Permafrost, Tundra. Original contains color plates: All DTIC/NTIS reproductions will be in blackand white.