Hilcorp Alaska plans to conduct a 2D seismic survey along the Sterling Highway between Clam Gulch and Anchor Point on the Kenai Peninsula between Mar. 1 and Apr. 14. The survey will provide seismic data which will be used to evaluate future drilling targets and fill in current gaps in data.
The project should take approximately 14-24 days operating 24 hours a day continuously, but Hilcorp says they will work around timing for school zones, bus stops, and emergency vehicles. The Lane Closure Permit is being requested from Mar. 1 – Apr. 14 (41 days) to allow for potential delays (weather, equipment problems, etc.), although Hilcorp says the project will not require complete lane closure and that survey vehicles will utilize as much of the shoulder as possible.
According to Hilcorp, any lane closure operations should only be partial lane closures.
The survey will involve the use of two “vibe” trucks which will travel down the shoulder of the Sterling Highway from north to south. The vibe trucks will stop and lower a plate to the ground which will vibrate every 55’ for approximately one minute before moving and repeating the process, moving approximately 3 miles per 24-hour period and 46 miles total.
Hilcorp says that a traffic control plan has been developed and will be in place for the duration of the project.
The project summary posted by Hilcorp offers assurances regarding disturbances to the survey area stating, “There will be no surface disturbance at any point before, during, or after the duration of this project,” as well as, “No drilling or explosive charges will be used at any point in this survey.”
The survey location will start at approximately MP 117 of the Sterling Hwy just North of Clam Gulch Rd, continuing south to Anchor Point, then transitioning to the Old Sterling Hwy to approximately Martin Dr.
Nodal receivers will be placed every 27.5 feet off of the roadway by use of a Utility Terrain Vehicle (UTV) in the highway right-of-way along the length of the survey route and will be recovered after the survey. There will be up to 1240 receivers placed at any given time. Hilcorp says the use of a UTV should “greatly reduce the amount of stopped vehicle traffic on the Sterling Highway during placement of the nodal receivers.”
The energy company plans to send notice letters to property owners along the stretch of the highway where work will occur. Work will not be conducted in school zones during the designated school zone hours or around any bus stops during school zone hours. Work will also stop for any emergency vehicles at any time during the project and the emergency vehicles will take priority over the project.
Hilcorp, or its contractor(s), will also send a work plan each day that describes the upcoming work 48 hours prior to beginning work during the duration of the project.
