Design and Construction of a Gas Production Facility at Pointed Mountain, N.W.T.
Authors: Matthews Frank B. , Arnold Richard B. 
Published: December 2007

This paper was prepared for the 48th Annual Fall Meeting of the Society of Petroleum Engineers of AIME, to be held in Las Vegas, Nev., Sept. 30-Oct. 3, 1973. Permission to copy is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words. Illustrations may not be copied. The abstract should contain conspicuous acknowledgment of where and by whom the paper is presented. Publication elsewhere after publication in the JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM TECHNOLOGY or the SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS JOURNAL is usually granted upon request to the Editor of the appropriate journal provided agreement to give proper credit is made.

Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussion may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines.

The Pointed Mountain gas production facility is the most northerly in Canada, and the first to produce commercial gas from the North West Territories. It is located some 130 miles northwest of Ft. Nelson, B.C. Development commenced with geological exploration in the mid 50's, culminating in the completion of the discovery well in 1966 and subsequent drilling of 3 more wells. A fourth is currently being drilled. A gas sales contract was negotiated with Westcoast Transmission Company in 1967, calling for initial sales by November 1, 1972. Actual sales commenced on September 1, 1972.

Design and construction of a gas gathering system and dehydration plant to condition production for sale presented varied challenges. The producing wells are quite prolific, with AOF's in excess of 225 MMCFD prolific, with AOF's in excess of 225 MMCFD each. Production characteristics, a combination of daily rates of up to 75 MMCFD per well, a reservoir temperature of 334 F, per well, a reservoir temperature of 334 F, a reservoir pressure of 5330 psig and an acid gas content of 0.6% H2S and 10.8% CO2, dictated design features for the gathering system that were unique. High flowing temperatures necessitated the installation of expansion loops and isolating anchors and the use of special temperature resistant protective coatings. Wide variations in protective coatings. Wide variations in terrain, ranging from steep, rocky mountain slopes to broad, deep muskeg beds gave rise to a mixture of construction techniques, including 3 miles of 10" and 12" pipe supported on wooden friction piles. The dehydration plant is of conventional design, incorporating plant is of conventional design, incorporating inlet cooling, water separation and disposal, glycol dehydration and fuel gas sweetening. It is entirely self supporting, including all utilities and permanent living quarters for the operating staff.

Logistics problems dominated the entire project, magnifying many normally routine project, magnifying many normally routine problems. Access to the site for heavy problems. Access to the site for heavy material and equipment was limited to a 3 month winter trucking season over 170 miles of bush road, or to a 4–5 month barging season on the Ft. Nelson-Liard river systems with daily aircraft flights to transport personnel, perishables and smaller material personnel, perishables and smaller material items. Planning and coordination was the key to success, beginning in the early design stage and continuing right up to move-out of construction equipment.