Hilcorp Alaska will be conducting a 3-D seismic survey in the federal waters of lower Cook Inlet during the next couple of months.

This survey will occur within the lower Cook Inlet, south of the Forelands and west to southwest of Homer. Hilcorp plans to start the project in April which would allow completion in early summer.

The data will be acquired using a specially designed marine seismic vessel towing 8‐10 approximately 1.5 mile long recording cables with a dual airgun array.

Mike Dunn, Project Manager: “We expect to have the vessel here in the middle of April, the permits to happen the first week of May, and we will shoot about 175 square miles of seismic. We expect the project to take about 40 days.”

Hilcorp will conduct the seismic survey over 8 lease blocks to determine the location of possible oil and gas prospects during the 2019 open‐water season. According to Dunn these surveys provide the resolution needed for detailed geological evaluation and data resolution for placement of drill rigs or platforms.

Dunn: “If the surveys indicate that there is oil and gas here then we could be drilling some wells by next summer.”

The 3D seismic survey program is proposed to be completed by the end of June, prior to fall and winter storm activities in the Inlet region. According to Hilcorps Environmental Evaluation Document, no impacts to climate and meteorology are expected as part of the proposed project.