This 1948 color film US Navy Photographic Report MN-5377D reviews Equipment used at the Arctic Operations Naval (PET) Petroleum Reserve #4 (:27). This documents the work of the Seabees / CBs Construction Battalion Detachment (CBD) and their search for oil in Alaska and the arctic. The group boasted geologists, petroleum engineers, driller (oil), tool pushers, roustabouts and roughnecks. Congress earmarked $1,000,000 for Operation Pet 4 and it was decided to send them to Alaska to determine if there was actually oil in NPR 4 (U.S. Navy Petroleum Reserve No. 4), an area that had been set aside in the oil reserve 20 years earlier.The area is known today as the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska. The Detachment’s mission was: to do a detailed geologic study, do core hole drilling, do deep well drilling, as well as do aerial and overland pipeline surveys. In 1944 a base camp was constructed a Point Barrow. During the summer of 1945 the Seabees drilled a 2000 foot wildcat designated Seabee 1 (wildcat wells) before being shut down by the cold. The well site was near 3 petroleum seepages in the Umiat area in the very south-east of NPR 4. The rock in the area was from the Upper Cretaceous and has been named the “Seabee Formation”. In 1946 civilians took over for the Seabees some of whom had been members of CBD 1058 and were hired immediately upon discharge to continue in the same job they had performed for the Navy.” The Navy drew upon the cold weather experience it learned from CBD 1058 and applied it in Operation Highjump and Operation Deep Freeze.

The crawler-type crane with 30-foot boom has a specially developed sling that moves eight fuel drums. The engine heat is directed into the cab. Ice grousers have been added to the flat pad tracks (1:40-2:25). A smaller cherry picker crane moves objects. The cab is modified with double plexiglass windows. The air intake is shown on a larger cherry picker (2:26-3:05). A forklift uses the same tractor as the cherry picker (3:06-3:26). A Caterpillar D8 tractor is used (3:27-3:35). The over-ground personnel carrier is the Army M29 Weasel, shown moving over snow and ice. Mark I treads have been replaced with Mark 3. Other reinforcements have been welded on. It is amphibious and moves through the water as well as up a steep slope (3:36-5:25). The diesel D8 tractor has multiple attachments. The double-insulated windows and top escape hatch are modifications. It hauls a tractor train and is shown plowing various materials (5:26-7:02). Modified Mitchler #9 heavy-duty sleds are used to transport supplies. Also used are welded pipe sleds with a special drawbar to connect sleds together (7:03-8:26). A closed-body wanigan on a sled chassis is constructed with double insulation on walls and floors. A D8 pulls a line of them through the snow (8:28-9:34). Modifications for Arctic use to a Navy LVT-3 are shown ((;36-11:15). A body similar to the wanigan is placed on a weasel chassis. Inside are the recording apparatus radio and generator for seismograph surveys (11:17-11:42). Also used when applicable are vehicles; shown is a taxi (11:43). An Athey wagon and its batteries are shown (11:57-12:41). A Herman Nelson 250,000 BTU portable furnace warms the air inside a piece of equipment in order to start an engine (12:43-13:00). A draftsman works on plans for better Arctic solutions (13:22). Arctic lubricants and fuels are experimented with (13:35). A slave kit and diluted crankcase lubricant are also possibilities. Lubricants are poured into various pieces of equipment (13:45-14:52). Steel issues are shown on dozer blades and D8 sleds. Treated canvas shades and plastic are stiff to handle (14:54-15:44). A tire is kicked and maintenance is performed both outside and inside a shop complete with hoists and presses (15:46-17:04). Navy personnel attempt to weld in the sub-freezing temperatures (17:06-17:18). A variety of earlier footage of equipment is shown (17:19-17:59). The end credits says “Keep the fleet to keep the peace” (18:00).

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