Comments trigger proposal changes and more analysis of Willow Master Development Plan
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ANCHORAGE – The Bureau of Land Management announced today that it is developing a supplemental draft environmental impact statement for ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc.’s proposed Willow Master Development Plan, based on changes made by the company in response to multiple stakeholder concerns and public comments.
The project proposal includes the construction, operation and maintenance of an oil and gas development within the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska that may include one central processing facility, an infrastructure pad, up to five drill pads with up to fifty wells on each pad, access and infield roads, an airstrip, pipelines and a gravel mine. The Willow MDP Project is anticipated to have a peak production of 130,000 barrels of oil per day over its 30-year life (producing approximately 590 million barrels of oil) and would help offset declines in production from the North Slope oil fields and contribute to the local, state and national economies.
In addition to other adjustments to CPAI’s original proposal, the supplemental draft EIS primarily addresses a revision that removes construction of a module transfer island previously analyzed in Alternative B of the draft EIS. The company’s new proposal replaces construction of the island with a plan to transport modules via sealift barge to an existing dock at Oliktok Point, Alaska, for ice road transport across the Colville River near Ocean Point. The BLM expects to have the supplemental draft EIS available for review and comment in Spring 2020.
“It’s exciting to see the level of public involvement in determining responsible development of our natural resources in Alaska,” said BLM Alaska State Director Chad Padgett. “Since the new module transport option and other project changes are outside the scope of the original analysis, developing a supplemental draft EIS affords the public an opportunity to provide input on the revised plan as they did on the original draft.”
CPAI’s updated proposal contains design optimizations for each project component of Alternative B, in addition to the new module transport option, and the supplemental draft EIS will be developed with information provided by the BLM, cooperating agencies and various stakeholders.
For a link to the Willow Master Development Plan Environmental Impact Statement site, along with all other current BLM Alaska planning efforts, visit www.blm.gov/alaska/comment123.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.