North Slope Rail Extension

A railroad to the North Slope has been considered, as it has the potential to transport large volumes of bulk freight at a competitive cost. It may also lead to new oil drilling and mining opportunities. The rail link could facilitate the movement of the bulk freight required for large scale horizontal drilling as well as hydro-fracturing of shale oil and shale gas bearing formations. One route for this extension would be approximately 450 miles long and would likely connect to the ARRC mainline at the Dunbar siding near Nenana. There are also other potential routes. Recent analysis on the subject has been tied to the prospect of hydraulic fracturing to extract oil and gas and the huge volumes of sand and other materials needed for the practice. However, fulfilling one opportunity can often create other opportunities. If rail is extended north to the North Slope, new service opportunities to the east and west might emerge. Other oil and gas activity—Point Thomson—is located east of Prudhoe Bay. Rail service to the west, literally across the top of the world, could access other oil and gas prospects and a huge coal opportunity.