Prudhoe Bay Alaska - Largest Oil Field in North America:
This is an interesting article to read as we sit around waiting for ATEX to rebound. Prudhoe Bay (Deadhorse) Alaska is home to the largest oil field in North America. It is located in Alaska between the coast of the Beaufort Sea and the North Slope of the Brooks Range Mountains. It is about 1200 mi. south of the North Pole and 250 mi. north of the Artic Circle. Artic drilling rigs differ from their southern counterparts in that they generally are more self contained. As is evident by the picture the rigs are enclosed to protect it and the workers from the Artic Winters. Many of the rigs can be transported from drill site to drill site without any disassembly. Many rigs have a camp house that moves with the rig to provide room and board for the workers.
Other wildlife in the area: Artic Fox, Artic Ground Squirrels, Grizzly Bears, Polar Bears, Musk OX, Artic Hares, Caribou (Approximately 25,000)and over 200 different bird and waterfowl species including geese, swans, seagulls and eagles . During the winter months only the artic fox, ravens, and the occasional polar bear are to be seen. Ice roads are built during the winter months to reduce the damage to the environment for access to remote drill sites. conditions need to be twenty below zero or less for construction thus limiting exploration drilling to the Winter months in most cases.