| Storm activity and warmer temperatures have led to accelerated erosion at the J. W. Dalton wellsite, located 75 miles southeast of Barrow, Alaska. Prior to the discovery of a breach in one of the reserve pit walls due to the receding coastline, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation viewed the pit as an innocuous, immobile threat. Now the contents are under new scrutiny. Common drilling practices during the late 1970's involved the use of diesel and heavy metals, which can have negative effects on the environment in certain concentrations. Sampling was conducted to better understand the nature of the contaminants that exist within the reserve pit to help understand what risk they may pose to the marine environment. This sampling discovered low levels of diesel and heavy metals but failed to adequately characterize parts of the reserve pit, making future sampling a possibility. |
