ConocoPhillips Alaska Files for 126-Well Development Permit for Willow Field, First Drilling to Begin in 2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Regulatory documents disclosed on September 14 show that ConocoPhillips Alaska has applied to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission for Willow field development rules and area injection permits, planning to deploy a total of 126 wells across three drilling pads: Bear Tooth 1, Bear Tooth 2, and Bear Tooth 3. The first batch of drilling is scheduled to begin in 2027, with 32 wells to be pre-drilled at BT1 and BT3 in 2027, followed by another 32 wells in 2028, in preparation for the commissioning of the Willow central processing facility and subsequent crude oil production. The project's central facility is currently under construction, with commissioning planned for the fourth quarter of 2028 and first oil targeted for early 2029.

This application marks Willow's further advancement from surface infrastructure construction toward the oil well development preparation stage. ConocoPhillips, as operator of the Bear Tooth Unit, submitted two applications to regulators on August 20: one requesting the establishment of dedicated development rules for the Willow Oil Pool, and another applying for area injection permits. The injection scope includes enhanced oil recovery operations, as well as temporary storage of fluids generated during pre-drill well cleanup before permanent production facilities are installed and commissioned. The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has tentatively scheduled a public hearing for November 4 in Anchorage.

The 126 wells will be distributed across three drilling pads rather than completed all at once. The first round of construction disclosed in the regulatory application involves pre-drilling 32 wells in each of 2027 and 2028, totaling 64 wells, to establish production and injection well conditions in advance of the central processing facility's startup; the remaining wells will continue to be drilled in subsequent development phases. This filing further clarifies for the first time the drilling pace leading up to Willow's production, translating the previously established overall development plan of "three drilling pads plus a central processing facility" into specific well counts and annual construction schedules.

Willow is located in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska. ConocoPhillips made its final investment decision in December 2023. The project's main components include three drilling pads, an operations center and camp, a central processing facility, and supporting pipelines. The company disclosed in the first quarter of 2026 that overall project completion had reached approximately 50%. During the 2025 construction peak, two bridges were completed, approximately 72 miles of pipeline were laid, and year-round camp operations were initiated; the central processing facility is being manufactured off-site and is scheduled to be transported to the North Slope site for installation in 2027.

The project's latest total capital budget is $8.5 billion to $9 billion, up from the previous estimate of $7 billion to $7.5 billion, with the increase mainly driven by general inflation and rising labor, equipment, and marine transportation costs on the Alaska North Slope. ConocoPhillips plans to invest an average of approximately $1.7 billion per year from 2026 to 2028, with project development capital expenditure gradually declining after first oil in 2029.

Under the current design, Willow has approximately 600 million barrels of recoverable resources and a peak crude oil production rate of approximately 180,000 barrels per day. Once construction is complete, crude oil will be connected to the existing production and transportation system on the Alaska North Slope. The current engineering chain has formed a clear timeline of "surface facility construction—central processing facility manufacturing and transportation—first batch of wells pre-drilled in 2027—expanded drilling and central facility startup in 2028—first oil in early 2029."