Seismic Data Processing & Interpretation

The National Petroleum Reserve, Alaska, (NPRA) Legacy Data Archive represents one of the largest geological and geophysical data sets held by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). From 1944 to 1953 the U.S. Navy operated a large-scale exploration of the then Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4, drilling 36 test wells and 45 core tests. A second extensive exploration program was operated between 1974 and 1982. Run first by the U.S. Navy and later the USGS, this exploration program collected over 12,000 line miles of seismic data and drilled 28 exploratory wells. Both these exploration programs generated a vast amount of data, analyses, and documents, much of which is presented here.

Selected NPR-A Publications

Tetra Tech, Inc. Final Report - Volumes 1-3 Petroleum Exploration of NPRA, 1974-1981.  Tettra Tech Report Number 8200, March 31, 1982.  

• Volume 1
• Volume 2
• Volume 3

USGS Professional Paper Series 305

Agena, W.F., Lee, M.W., and Hart, P.E., 2000, Reprocessing of Multi-channel Seismic-Reflection Data Collected in the Beaufort Sea: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-460,
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2000/ofr-00-460/

Zihlman, F.N., Oliver, H.L., Nelson, P.H., and Kibler, J.E., 2000, Selected data from fourteen wildcat wells in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 00-200,
http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/OF00-200/WORKSHOP.HTM

Zihlman, F.N., Oliver, H.L., Nelson, P.H., and Kibler, J.E., 1999, Selected data from eleven wildcat wells in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 99-015, one CD-ROM.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/1999/ofr-99-0015/

 Taylor, D.J., and Zihlman, F.N., 1995, Geological and geophysical information from the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska on CD-ROM as a tool in support of geoscientific decision-making, in Carter, L. M. H., ed., Energy and the Environment--Application of Geosciences to Decision-making; Program and short papers; Tenth V.E. McKelvey Forum on Mineral and Energy Resources, Washington, DC, Feb. 13-17, 1995: U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1108, p. 42-43.
http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/pubs/cir/cir1108