Prudhoe output reduced by maintenance

Alaska Department of Revenue crude oil production figures showed Prudhoe Bay averaged 400,965 barrels per day in December, down an average of 23,428 bpd from November, a 5.5 percent drop.

BP Exploration (Alaska) operates Prudhoe; production figures for the field include western Prudhoe satellites Midnight Sun, Aurora, Polaris, Borealis and Orion.

BP spokesman Daren Beaudo said the drop was mostly due to unscheduled maintenance at Gathering Center 1. He said work was performed on a flare knockout drum from Dec. 20 to Jan. 3, “reducing the total amount of production through that facility.”

GC-1 normally produces 95,000-100,000 bpd, he said, but the work at the facility resulted “in a gross production deferral” of approximately 30,000-35,000 bpd.

—Kristen Nelson