POINT MCINTYRE PM-1 REMEDIATION AREA ARMY PERMIT (14-900163, BEAUFORT SEA 428)

2001 PROGRESS REPORT ON SOIL, SURFACE WATER, AND VEGETATION CONDITIONS

TO: BP EXPLORATION (), INC. ANCHORAGE, ALASKA

FROM: JAY D. MCKENDRICK LAZY MOUNTAIN RESEARCH COMPANY, LLC PALMER, ALASKA

MAY 2002

FRONT COVER:

Aerial oblique view of PM-1 production pad, 22 July 2000. Area of investigation lies along the upper edge of the pad to the left of the pit extension. Note the smooth textured surface north of the pad represents a tundra surface younger than that of the rough dark, highly polygonized surface to the south and east of the pad. See Photo 2 for water salinity readings measured at this location. INTRODUCTION fibrous peat. The A horizon is a humus layer consisting of mineral soil and partially

decomposed peat. The B horizon is a sandy This report contains a summary of the mineral material. environmental investigation and revegetation progress during the 1998-2001 period at the PM-1 Within the area in question, a layer of drilling production pad. mud, 2 to 8 in thick overlies the natural soil

profile surface. There is also a thin layer of gravel Historical background on the drilling mud surface. This gravel appeared to have been carried from the production pad An area of wet sedge tundra affected by drilling during winter snow removal. mud and gravel on the north edge of the PM-1 (Point McIntyre) production pad was required to Vegetation be remediated. In 1998, ARCO Alaska, Inc. requested Lazy Mountain Research’s technical Vegetation at this location is a wet sedge meadow services to evaluate the site conditions and dominated by rhizomatous sedges and grasses. perform tasks to either establish a self-sustaining The landscape is probably a shallow drained lake natural cover on the area or recommend basin (Figure 2). Terrain south of the production removal of the drilling mud, if the soil conditions pad is highly polygonized and older than the were beyond tolerances of natural vegetation. drained lake basin. This difference in age Apparently, this was an exploration site, and the indicates the area affected by drilling mud was drilling mud release was probably from the probably vegetated with successional vegetation exploration drilling and not from the current rather than climax tundra, prior to the release. The production operations. The absence of mud on the soil O horizon and well developed A horizon gravel fill indicates the mud was on site before indicate vegetation development has been the production pad was constructed. occurring on the site for many years, perhaps centuries. Information provided included a map (Figure 1). Date (1991) of the map indicated the site had Plant communities at this site were dominated been an issue for 7 years prior to Lazy Mountain with sedges and a few grass species. The most Research’s assignment to the project. Our common species were Eriophorum angustifolium, assignment was to determine whether or not Carex aquatilis, and Dupontia fisheri. Nearer to natural vegetation could be established on the the seacoast, salt-tolerant species become most drilling-mud affected surface. prominent, such as: Carex maritima, Carex ursina, Phippsia algida and Carex subspathacea. Site information Wildlife Location Geese commonly graze the vegetation around this site and along the seacoast. Caribou herds move The drilling mud release is a 0.75 a area on the through the area seeking insect relief in the north edge of PM-1 production pad (Figure 1). summer (Photo 1). Muskox have been observed The site is on the west side of Prudhoe Bay, north in the vicinity also. Shore birds and other small and west of the dust fallout area that affects most fowl occupy the area also during summer months. of the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field and causes soils to be neutral to slightly alkaline. Surface Water

Soils The area has a number of shallow ponds. Water levels in the ponds fluctuated among years. In The soils at this location are naturally acidic and 1998, several were dry. In 2000 and 2001, these largely sand with an organic mat on the surface. same ponds were full. Reasons for the water level The organic surface (O horizon) consists of changes were not determined.

1 Figure 1. Map of the Pt. McIntyre remediation area, 1991.

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Photo 1. The dark scattered dots on the pad (center of photo) and along the coast (right edge of photo) are large congregations of caribou.

Monitoring Methods 1-m2 photo plots and three photopoints were established for repeat photography in 1998 to Soils record vegetation aspects through time. These were photographed in 1998, 2000, and 2001. When we were first assigned this task, we were told that soils data had already been sampled and Revegetation Treatments tested. However, as the years passed, it became evident that we needed to know the extent of the On 15 August 1999, 5.62 lb of grass seed, 3.98 lb mud deposit and how it had affected the of Elymus arenarius and 1.63 lb of underlying soil horizons. In the summer of 2000, augustata, applied to the affected area. Fertilizer we examined and sampled 14 soil profiles, applied at the same time included 53 lb P, 27 lb representing natural soil, soil affected by the N, and 53 lb K. On 17 August 2000, 1.67 lb of drilling mud, drilling mud and gravel, and soil Puccinellia borealis and 50 lb of 10-20-20 were affected by seawater to the east and north of the applied to the site. PM-1 production pad. These profiles were sampled by horizon, and the horizon thicknesses Although seedlings of Puccinellia augustata were recorded. Samples were submitted to the emerging from cracks in the mud and from gravel Colorado State University soil, water, and plant along the margin of the pad, in 2000, the area was testing laboratory for tests: pH, E.C., SAR again seeded, re-fertilized, and Arctophila fulva (sodium-absorption-ratio), texture (sand, silt and sprigged into the flooded portion of the mud site. clay percentages), total N, total carbon, This time Puccinellia borealis seed was used. extractable K, B, and barium; soluble Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, SO4, HCO3; and available P and NO3. Surface Water

Vegetation On 17 August 2000 and during the 2001 inspection, E.C. of surface water was measured General vegetation conditions were observed with a conductivity meter to determine salinity of each year for the 1998 through 2001 period. Two the natural and impacted water at this location.

3 around the pad. Puccinellia borealis may have RESULTS also germinated; however, I could not distinguish between the two species in their early seedling Soils stages. Perhaps the will mature during the 2002 growing season, affording opportunity to Soil data are listed by the surface organic horizon identify the grass species present. and subsurface mineral horizon by habitat type in Table 1. The natural soil contained the most Indigenous species Phippsia algida, Puccinellia moisture, averaging 116.8%. The natural phryganodes, and Puccinellia augustata all undisturbed surface peat horizon also contained increased cover and number of plants during the the greatest total N, averaging 1.910%. The monitoring period, according to the photo records organic carbon content of the undisturbed peat (Appendix). horizon was also highest at 31.467%. The following were lowest in the undisturbed tundra ++ ++ + – Surface Water soil: pH, E.C., SAR, Ca , Mg , Na , SO4 , and - Cl . Effect from the drilling mud imposed to the Salinity varied from 3.28 to 12.48 dS/m in the organic horizon were reducing soil moisture and - surface water present at this location (Photos 2 & Cl , extractable B, extractable Ba, total N, total C, 3). Seawater exceeded limits of our meter, 19.99 NO3., and available P. Drilling mud increased the dS/m. The water directly over the mud release following soil features in the organic horizon: had an E.C. of 16.23 in 2000 and 9.08 dS/m in clay %, pH, E.C. SAR, Ca++, Mg++, Na+, + 2001, which was higher than the drilling mud’s exchangeable K . average E.C. of 7.3 dS/m.

The drilling mud had the highest pH (7.6), contained the least soil moisture, sand, extractable DISCUSSION B, NO3-, total N, total C. Drilling mud contained the greatest concentrations of clay, silt, salinity, Soils Ba, SAR, Na+, exchangeable K+, soluble K+, and available P. Based on the laboratory data, it would appear as if the effects from the mud on the natural soil were Seawater-affected soils had the highest salinity, to change its features, making it less suitable to Mg++, Ca ++, Na+, Cl-, soluble K+, and HCO3–. plant growth. Hence, if vegetation suited to the mud cannot be established, removing the mud Vegetation may not result in a habitat suitable for the indigenous plants at this location. Seawater Plant species occurring within various habitats at effects were generally to increase salinity and the PM-1 sites are listed in Table 2. Some of certain ions, primarily Mg, Na and Cl. these plants occurred in water with salinity well above that of normal tundra soils. Grasses with Vegetation apparent highest tolerance of salinity (9.08 dS/m) according to these observations include: Several indigenous plant species have colonized Alopecurus alpinus, Arctagrostis latifolia, the mud-affected soil at the PM-1 site. This Arctophila fulva, Dupontia fisheri, and indicates these species have tolerances to drilling Puccinellia borealis. The most salinity tolerant mud and its associated components, primarily forb appeared to be Ranunculus gmelinii. The salts. Vegetation cover is increasing on the shrub most tolerant to salinity was Salix affected area and in time will probably cover the ovalifolia. Algae, liverwort and moss were all entire mud release. Exceptions may be the more found in the most saline habitat. deeply flooded portions. We had anticipated that Arctophila fulva might colonize and provide plant Puccinellia augustata seed germinated in the cover in the flooded portions, but our sprigs have cracks of drilling mud and on the gravel surfaces not performed as anticipated (Appendix p. 11).

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Photo 2. Aerial oblique view of PM-1 production pad, 22 July 2000. Area of investigation lies along the upper edge of the pad to the left of the pit extension. Note the smooth tectured surface north of the pad represents a tundra surface younger than that of the rough dark, highly polygonized surface to the south and east of the pad. This area is probably a lake basin which was drained when the eroding seacoast captured the water. Numbers on image indicate water salinity measured at two locations on 22 August 2001 (E.C. dS/m).

Photo 3. Aerial oblique view of study site on north edge of PM-1 production pad. Note that most of the affected area is underwater on 22 July 2000. Light-colored area next to the flooded portion is drilling mud on the tundra surface. Drilling mud and gravel are submerged beneath the water next to the pad. Numbers indicate water salinity (E.C. dS/m) measured at various locations on 17 August 2000 (in red) and 22 August 2001 (in white).

It was encouraging to find a number of plant tolerate these concentrations of salts. At best it species voluntarily colonizing on the drilling mud substantiates there are natural tundra species with and growing in surface water with relatively high tolerances to salinity and drilling mud. salinity concentrations. These data can only be interpreted as salinity levels at which the various Surface Water species were surviving. Neither do they establish the upper salinity tolerances for the species, nor The fact that surface water over the drilling mud confirm that other species not present might release contained more soluble salts that found in

5 the drilling mud is a hopeful indication that salts salinity tolerances. Graminoids appeared to have might be leaching from the drilling mud. If that is greater salt tolerances than forbs, except for really happening, then in time we might expect Ranunculus gmelinii. the drilling mud to become increasingly suitable habitat for vegetation. Based on the vegetation performance and soil conditions at this location, removing the mud Differences between the 2000 and 2001 E.C. might improve conditions for vegetation. values (Photo 3) was probably caused by dilution. However, that would obliterate the natural The water levels in 2001 were higher than in vegetation recovery achieved thus far, setting the 2000. The additional water in 2001 apparently community back perhaps 10 or diluted the salts by almost half. more years. The laboratory data indicated the natural soil buried beneath the mud has increased in salinity, and though better than drilling mud for CONCLUSIONS supporting plant growth, it no longer has the same characteristics as the unaffected soil. Therefore, Vegetation has increased on the mud release site the magnitude of realized benefits from mud during the 1998 through 2001 monitoring period. removal could be over estimated, should that Seeded Puccinellia grasses have germinated and alternative be followed. Leaving the site to appear to have established on the gravel and continue its recovery is likely the best practice drilling mud affected soil. Grazing pressures, available. It seems to be leading to a self- primarily from geese, have been keeping the perpetuating plant community of indigenous seedlings clipped. This limited the plants’ ability species that are tolerant of the soil conditions. to grow. However, it is expected that during the 2002 growing season these seedlings will be Surface water salinity is naturally elevated in this mature enough to develop inflorescences and vicinity, due most likely from the nearness to the decline in palatability for the grazers. We Beaufort Sea shore. Increasing amounts of water anticipate a pronounced increase in seeded grass in 2000 and 2001, in contrast with the nearly dry cover in 2002. ponds in 1999 most likely depict variation in precipitation among years. The increasing amount Drilling mud salinity may be decreasing from of water present in recent years may have had natural leaching. Some species of natural tundra significant benefits for the vegetation by diluting vascular plants appear to have relatively high and perhaps flushing salts from the soil.

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Table 1. Soil profile data from Point MacIntyre Drill Pad No.1, taken 26 July 2000 north of pad to represent natural soils (green), those affected by drilling waste and gravel (red) and those affected by seawater (blue). The drilling mud layer was also analyzed (brown). Drilling Control mud/Gravel Drilling Mud Seawater-affected Affected Surface Sub Surface Sub Surface Sub On surface peat peat peat peat peat peat n=4 n=3 (O) n=5 (A) n=3 (O) n=3 (A) n=2 (O) n=2 (A) Horizon thickness (in) 7.5 4.3 6.8 5.3 5.3 1.3 19.8 % moisture 116.8 86.95 101 99.4 77.6 114.7 116.4 pH 5.6 5.8 6.0 7.2 7.6 6.8 6.8 E.C. SPE (dS/m) 1.0 1.74 5.63 4.3 7.3 7.1 2.7 SAR SPE 6.267 9.76 16.56 10.8 28.1 8.7 8.7 Ca water extract (meq/l) 1.5 2.9 5.0 9.4 4.8 20.5 7.8 Mg water extract (meq/l) 1.1 1.3 4.1 4.2 4.3 10.6 11.55 Na water extract (meq/l) 7.1 12.5 37.4 24.3 58.2 34.1 17.95 K exchangeable (meq/l) 154.0 30.8 105.8 64.3 355.3 259.85 89.85

B H2O Extract (mg/g) 0.433 .160 0.267 0.3 .12 0.3 0.4 Ba AB-DTPA (mg/g) 3.370 2.64 3.09 2.37 8.3 1.4 1.9 Sand % 86 83.2 84.3 79.7 64.8 85 87 Silt % 10 9.2 9.67 12.3 13.2 9 7 Clay % 4 7.6 6.0 8 22.0 6 6 Total N % 1.910 0.414 1.53 1.065 0.066 0.433 0.434 Total C % 31.467 8.65 25.1 17.56 0.185 8.67 9.435

NO3-N SPE (mg/l) 0.733 1.26 0.4 .567 0.4 0.4 8.4

SO4 SPE (mg/l) 90.567 170.4 244.7 530.3 1397 92.1 126.9 Cl SPE (mg/l) 203.667 346 1344.7 916.3 1255 1849 774. K SPE (mg/l) 0.433 .2 0.467 0.3 1.45 2.6 .55

HCO3 SPE (mg/l) 119.667 137.2 91.3 165. 493.8 612.5 171 Available P (mg/g) 10.5 22.7 6.6 2.7 38.8 3.2 5.0

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Table 2. Listing of plant species found in six habitats with differing salinity levels at the PM-1 site (22 August 2001).

Habitat and Salinity (dS/m) Natural Tundra Water Drilling Mud Water Water Gravel Plant Species (1.0) (3.28) (7.6) (8.06) (9.08) Grasses & Sedges Alopecurus alpinus z z z Arctagrostis latifolia z z z Arctophila fulva z z z Carex ursina z z z Carex subspathacea z Carex aquatilis z z z Dupontia fisheri z z z z z Eriophorum angustifolium z z z z Poa arctica z Puccinellia augustata z z Puccinellia borealis z z z z Puccinellia phryganodes z z Forbs Cerastium beeringianum z Cochlearia officinalis z z Ranunculus gmelinii z Saxifraga hirculus z Saxifraga cernua z z z z Stellaria longipes z Shrubs Salix ovalifolia z z z Salix reticulata z Cryptogams Algae z z z Liverwort z z Moss z z z

8 PHOTO APPENDIX

Photoplot 1, 1 August 1998.

Photoplot 1, 26 August 2000.

Photoplot 1, 22 August 2001. Note the flooding on left side of plot and the marked increase in Puccinellia augustata cover since 1998.

9 Photoplot 2, 1 August 1998.

Photoplot 2, 26 August 2000. Notice the Puccinellia phryganoides mat that produced less than 0.25 m cover in the 1998 image has nearly 0.5 m of cover this year.

Photoplot 2, 22 August 2001. The Puccinellia phryganoides cover in 2001 has increased substantially during the 1998-2001 period.

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Photopoint 1 toward east along pad margin, 1 August 1998.

Photopoint 1 toward east along pad margin, 26 August 2000. Notice the foreground cover of Puccinellia phryganoides. Arctophila fulva sprigs can be seen in the pond margins.

Photopoint 1 toward east along pad margin, 22 August 2001. Observe the increase in plant cover in the foreground between 1998 and 2001. Arctophila fulva sprigs placed into the pond margin a year earlier have disappeared.

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Photopoint 2 toward NE, 1 August 1998.

Photopoint 2 toward NE, 26 August 2000.

Photopoint 2 toward NE, 22 August 2001.

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Photopoint 2 toward wellhouse, 1 August 1998.

Photopoint 2 toward wellhouse, 26 August 2000. Note recently placed Arctophila fulva sprigs in pond margin.

Photopoint 2 toward wellhouse, 22 August 2001. Notice the increase in plant cover since 1998. Observe the Arctophila fulva sprigs present last year have disappeared.

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Photopoint 2 across ponds, 1 August 1998.

Photopoint 2 across ponds, 26 August 2000. Observe the contrast in amount of water in the pond basins between 1998 and 2000.

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Photopoint 3 toward west, 1 August 1998.

Photopoint 3 toward west, 26 August 2000.

Photopoint 3 toward west, 22 August 2001. Notice the increase in plant cover in the open ground between 1998 and 2001. Most of the increase came from Puccinellia phryganoides and Phippsia algida. These two species increased in size and numbers during the interval. Also note the general increase in surface water on this site from 1998 to 2001.

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Closeup of Puccinellia augustata seedlings established in drilling mud on the PM-1 site (26 August 2000). These seedlings germinated next to pebbles on the surface of the mud and in cracks. Such niches provided suitable habitat for germination and establishment.

Closeup of Puccinellia augustata seedlings establishing in cracks of the drilling mud (26 August 2000).

Reticulate pattern of Puccinellia seedlings caused by plants establishing exclusively in the surface cracks of the drilling mud deposit on the north side of PM-1 production pad (22 August 2001).

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Closeup of emerging shoot in drilling mud on the north side of PM-1 production pad. This shoot is from a Carex aquatilis rhizome that extended into the mud from the adjacent undisturbed tundra.

View of a group of volunteer Puccinellia phryganodes plants on a surface of drilling mud and gravel off the north side of PM-1 production pad.

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