SYSTEM FOR OFFSHORE DRILLING IN THE ARCTIC ISLANDS.

Seven major gas fields have been discovered in the Canadian Arctic Islands since drilling began in 1961. All seven gas fields extend offshore and seismic records indicate other prospective structures which lie entirely offshore. To drill these structures, a method has been developed by which the ocean ice is artificially thickened to carry the weight of conventional land rigs weighing up to 845 tons. The first well, Panarctic W. Hecla N-52, was successfully drilled in March and April of 1974 approximately 8 miles offshore and in 421 feet of water. To date, five wells have been drilled in up to 940 feet of water and 14 miles from shore. This technological breakthrough means that offshore fields can be proven now, rather than waiting for several years for sophisticated offshore drilling rigs that could cope with the severe ice conditions found in the Canadian Arctic Ocean.