BP in Alaska: Prudhoe surpasses expectations

Further advancements and improvements in drilling technology, reservoir management — aided by advanced imaging techniques — enhanced recovery methods, production operations, communications and control systems, have helped mitigate the effects of the field’s natural decline, which began in 1989.

Prudhoe’s recovery factor today is expected to be more than 60 percent, compared with less than 40 percent when production began in the late 1970s. “At the start of the 1980s, the field was expected to last about 30 years,” says Howard Mayson, BP’s vice president of technology. “There could easily be another 50 years to go,” he adds. “It’s very long-legged, and a lot of that is down to technology.”

Prudhoe’s total recoverable reserves are now estimated at about 13 billion barrels — several billion barrels more than what was envisaged when production started in 1977.

Development of Prudhoe Bay and the transportation system necessary to move its crude oil to market cost more than $40 billion, which includes the recent addition of four modern, Alaska-class double-hulled tankers. To date, more than 1,500 wells have been drilled in the field. Ownership in the field includes ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil Alaska Production Inc., with about 36 percent each; BP at 26 percent, and others 2 percent. BP operates the field under an agreement reached with partners in 2000 after it acquired ARCO.

—Frank Baker