A Hilcorp contractor – SAExploration Seismic Services – is seeking a Miscellaneous Land Use Permit from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources to conduct a seismic survey this spring. To conduct the survey, SAE will detonate explosive shocks at 55-feet intervals along a 5.4 mile transect encompassing land, tidal and waters around and north of Anchor Point.

In their application, SAE states it will be testing a new “Clearwave directional explosive product.” Clearwave uses a 0.058-kilogram explosive source and SAE said it will be testing it against a conventional 1.1-kilogram explosive source. Clearwave “benefits include potential reduction in costs, environmental impacts and reduced line clearing and drilling exposure,” SAE said.

Onshore, the company said it will drill and place the Clearwave source at 55-foot intervals along the transect and will place the conventional source at 330-foot intervals.

Inletkeeper will be submitting comments and encourages those in the vicinity of the proposed work to submit comments if they have concerns about impacts to well water, wildlife, wetlands or streams.

Please send comments by email to dog.permitting@alaska.gov. All comments must be in writing. A copy of the final decision will be sent to any person who provides written comments. An eligible person affected by this decision may appeal or request the commissioner’s reconsideration in accordance with 11 AAC 02.

All comments must be received by the comment deadline: 4:30 pm, AST, March 31, 2023.

Read the full application here