Seismic Survey Permit Sought for North Slope

SAExploration Seismic Services applied to Alaska regulators for a 205-square-mile Pikka-Quokka 3D survey.

Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Utilities

Bold vector editorial illustration of a tracked seismic vibrator and scattered recording nodes on a snow-covered Arctic ice pad under a pale tundra horizon. — SAExploration Seismic Services applied to Alaska regulators for a 205-square-mile Pikka-Quokka 3D seismic survey on the North Slope, slated to begin January 3, 2027. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should oil exploration on Alaska's North Slope be allowed to expand?

SAExploration Seismic Services (US) LLC has applied to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas to conduct the Pikka-Quokka 3D seismic survey on the North Slope. The program is scheduled to begin January 3, 2027, or when tundra travel opens.

Why it matters

The survey data is intended to inform oil exploration and development activities on Alaska's North Slope. Because the permit would cover only the portion of work on state land, the project's scope within Alaska is defined by the state-land share of its 205.31-square-mile area.

The 205.31-square-mile project area includes state, private and Kuukpik lands, while the permit would cover only the state-land portion. Camps can hold up to 180 people, with a 160-man sleigh camp among the equipment, and a large camp's maximum footprint is 300 by 400 feet.

The players

SAExploration Seismic Services (US) LLC

SAExploration Seismic Services is a seismic data acquisition company that applied for the permit to conduct the Pikka-Quokka survey.

Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas

The state division responsible for reviewing and permitting oil and gas exploration activity, which opened the public comment period on the application.

Kuukpik Corp.

Kuukpik Corp. is an Alaska Native village corporation that is a joint venture partner in the Pikka-Quokka seismic program.

The details

Equipment will be transported from Deadhorse to an established ice pad via the Spine Road, and advance crews will survey hazards using ground penetrating radar and battery-operated ice augers. The crew plans to use rubber-tracked vibrators and wireless recording nodes, running on two 12-hour shifts. The company will meet with the Native Village of Nuiqsut before work begins.

Nov. 4, 2026: The Division of Oil and Gas issued public notice of the proposed project.
Dec. 4, 2026, 4:30 p.m.: The public comment period ends.
Jan. 3, 2027: The seismic program is scheduled to begin, or when tundra travel opens.

Industry Landscape

The application runs through the same Division of Oil and Gas permitting process that governs seismic exploration on Alaska state land, with the public comment period serving as the primary point of review before any approval. The survey's data is intended to support oil exploration and development on the North Slope.

Residents near the North Slope, including the Native Village of Nuiqsut, may see seismic crews, camps and equipment moving through the area during the survey. Public comments on the application can be submitted through December 4, 2026.

The takeaway

Residents who want a say in North Slope seismic work should note the December 4, 2026 comment deadline, since the permit decision will follow that review. Tracking the outcome helps show how state oversight balances exploration with local impacts.

What happens next

The public comment period closes December 4, 2026 at 4:30 p.m., and the seismic program is scheduled to begin January 3, 2027, or when tundra travel opens.