ConocoPhillips Files 126-Well Willow Development Plan With AOGCC
ConocoPhillips Alaska has filed for pool rules and an area injection order covering the Willow oil pool, Drilling Contractor reports, laying out a 126-well drilling program across three sites in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
Market Impact
The filing, submitted to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC), covers the Willow pool in the Bear Tooth unit, where ConocoPhillips holds 100% working interest. The company plans to drill from three sites, Bear Tooth 1, 2 and 3, starting in 2027 and running through 2028.
ConocoPhillips intends to pre-drill 32 wells in 2027 from BT1 and BT3, followed by another 32 wells in 2028 to support startup of the Willow Central Facility, which is currently under construction. Commissioning and startup of the central facility is expected in the fourth quarter of 2028, with first oil targeted for early 2029. AOGCC has tentatively scheduled a public hearing on the applications for November 4, 2026, in Anchorage.
What It Means for Subcontractors
- Drilling contractors and rig crews should prepare for a sustained multi-year program: 64 of the 126 wells are slated for pre-drilling alone across 2027 and 2028, ahead of central facility startup.
- Civil and pad construction firms working the North Slope should track the AOGCC public hearing on November 4, 2026, in Anchorage, a milestone that will shape final pool-rule compliance requirements and injection order terms before drilling begins.
- Pipeline, E&I, and facility construction crews tied to the Willow Central Facility should confirm subcontract packages now, since commissioning and startup are targeted for Q4 2028, just months ahead of first oil in early 2029.
- Companies with pool-rule and injection-order compliance experience have a window to bid early, since ConocoPhillips’ application sets the regulatory framework the entire 126-well program will operate under.
- Firms staffing three separate drill sites (BT1, BT2, BT3) should plan logistics and workforce mobilization for concurrent operations starting in 2027 rather than a single-pad buildout.
