Petrographic Analyses of Selected Horizons, Aurora 089 #1 OCS-Y-0943 Well, Offshore Northeast Alaska (Part 1)

The Aurora well affords the most recently available geological information pertinent to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to the south. The well is located approximately three and one-half miles north of Griffin Point (T.SN., R.37E., sec. 9), and approximately five miles northeast of Tapkaurak Point (T.SN., R.36E., sec. 1), which is the site of the Chevron KIC No. 1 Jago well

Petrographic analyses have been, or are being performed of thin-sections representing suites of well cuttings fragments from selected stratigraphic horizons over the depth interval 13,800-18,190 feet. Emphasized, and reported on here, were two zones of well-developed sand/sandstone, the "Oruktalik Sand'.' (14,680-14,860 feet), of predominantly litharenite/cherty aspect, and the somewhat more quartzose 'Tapkaurak Sand" (16,445-16,630 feet}. Results of this work provide information fundamental to increased understanding and further elucidation of geological, petrophysical, and geophysical relationships regarding this key well.