Western Arctic Coal Project
- Ownership: A growing partnership
- Products: Thermal coal
- Location: Alaska, United States
In July 2006, BHP Billiton Energy Coal signed an exploration and auxiliary agreement with the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (ASRC) to conduct a five-year coal exploration program and concept-level project evaluation on corporation lands in northwestern Alaska (see the location map). The ASRC represents the economic interests of the Inupiat people, who have traditionally lived on the Arctic Slope of Alaska. The corporation was created as part of the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).
Key Activities During Exploration
Key activities conducted during exploration will be:
- Community and stakeholder consultation;
- Regional geologic exploration to extend the exploration and test mining conducted by ASRC and the old US Bureau of Mines in the early 1990s;
- A concept-level feasibility study on a railroad transportation corridor to move coal south to a port with a reasonable ice free season;
- A concept-level feasibility study on a terminal and port site for shipping coal to the Asian market; and
- Baseline environmental research necessary to support the environmental assessment and permitting of the project, should a production decision be made.
The Western Arctic Coal Project is at a very early stage. A small project team has commenced exploration activities that will determine, over the next three to five years, the potential reserve and the concept for moving the project to market. As information becomes available, it will be shared with regional stakeholders through this website, newsletters, and regular public meetings. It is the intent of BHP Billiton to provide the public with the information they need during project development in order to consider and respond to the proposed development. The comments of stakeholders will be responded to in a timely manner.
The Exploration Area
The exploration area is located in bituminous coal beds west of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA), approximately 35 miles south of the Inupiat community of Point Lay. Point Lay is situated on the coast of the Chukchi Sea north of the Bering Strait (see the exploration map).
While bituminous and subbituminous coal showings occur across a large section of the Western Arctic Slope, the current project is restricted to the bituminous showing on ASRC lands, where the corporation holds both the surface and sub-surface rights. The work program will attempt to confirm earlier results in the Deadfall Syncline area and expand to test adjacent structures throughout the exploration area. The goal is to define a minable reserve.
Project Activity
During the summer of 2006, following the signing of the BHP Billiton/ASRC Agreement, a preliminary geologic survey was conducted, and existing camp infrastructure and mobile equipment were evaluated. In August and September 2006, the first community meetings were held in Point Lay and Point Hope (located 100 miles southwest of the project). Community engagement activities continued throughout 2007 with several meetings in Point Lay and Point Hope.
In early 2007, BHP Billiton established a small project office in Anchorage. An experienced project team was establish with considerable support from local Alaskan contractors. The required exploration permits were obtained and field activities commenced in February with mobilisation of supplies and equipment. A new camp was constructed and a drill program tested the Deadfall Syncline and several other adjacent geological structures. The program wound down activities for the season at the end of September 2007.
Field activities will start again in February 2008 when we mobilise supplies for the summer exploration drill program.
Environment and Community/Social Information
The Western Arctic Coal Project is committed to BHP Billiton’s Health, Safety, Environment and Community Sustainable Development Policy, Standards and Guidelines.
BHP Billiton is committed to an open and informative consultation process, and encourages all community members to be involved in the community consultation and participation activities.
We have initiated regular community engagment activities with the communities of Point Lay and Point Hope. These consultation activites have included town hall style forums and meetings with Native Village IRA councils which represent the status Native people, the ANSCA Village Corporations and town councils. Dialogue is ongoing with regulators from the North Slope Borough, the State of Alaska and the federal government. These consultation activities have focused on:
- The scope of work involved in the exploration and preliminary assessment phase;
- Building understanding of BHP Billiton and the approval process;
- Proposed project activities, summary of work to date;
- Memorandums of Understanding; and
- Gathering input from land owners, key stakeholders, and the broader community.
Contact Details
Further information on the Western Arctic Coal Project can be obtained by contacting:
W. Scott Williams
Project Manager – Energy Coal
BHP Billiton
1360 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 150
Houston, Texas, US 77056 3020
Phone: (713) 599 6118
Fax: (713) 961 8670
Email: scott.s.williams@bhpbilliton.com
Teresa Imm
Director – Resource Development
Arctic Slope Regional Corporation
3900 C St. Ste. 801
Anchorage, AK, US 9503
Phone: (907) 339 6014
Fax: (907) 339 6028
Email: timm@asrc.com