February Cook Inlet gas volumes down 4.7%
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Average was 206,568 mcf per day in February, down month-over-month; also down 7.1% from February 2023; Ninilchik has steepest drop
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
Cook Inlet natural gas volumes averaged 206,568 thousand cubic feet per day in February, down 10,117 mcf per day, 4.7%, from a January average of 216,684 mcf per day and down 7.1% from a February 2023 average of 224,618 mcf per day.
Volumes are calculated from Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission data, reported on a month-delay basis. For natural gas AOGCC reports measurements in thousands of cubic feet, mcf.
Six large fields accounted for 81.4% of February production, 168,083 mcf per day: North Cook Inlet, Beluga River, Ninilchik, Kenai, McArthur River and Kitchen Lights; fifteen smaller fields accounted for the remaining 18.6%.
Larger fields Hilcorp Alaska's North Cook Inlet, where AOGCC records show the company completed two grassroot wells and a sidetrack over the last year, averaged 45,148 mcf per day in February, 21.9% of the inlet total, down 1,295 mcf per day, 2.8%, from a January average of 46,483 mcf per day but up 20.4% from a February 2023 average of 37,501 mcf per day.
At Hilcorp-operated Beluga River -- Chugach Electric Association holds the majority working interest in the field -- where Hilcorp completed six wells in 2023, February production averaged 40,130 mcf per day, 19.4% of the inlet total, down 1,234 mcf per day, 3%, from a January average of 41,364 mcf per day, and down 2.3% from a February 2023 average of 41,061 mcf per day.
At Hilcorp's Ninilchik, where the company completed three wells in 2023, February production averaged 38,736 mcf per day, 18.8% of the inlet total, down 3,930 mcf per day, 9.2%, from a January average of 42,667 mcf per day and down 20.9% from a February 2023 average of 48,958 mcf per day.
No new wells were completed in 2023 by Hilcorp at its Kenai field, although three were permitted in late 2023 and early 2024. Kenai gas production averaged 19,087 mcf per day in February, 9.3% of inlet production, up 101 mcf per day, 0.5%, from a January average of 18,986 mcf per day but down 17.4% from a February 2023 average of 23,099 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's McArthur River, where no new wells were drilled in 2023, averaged 12,749 mcf per day in February, 6.2% of inlet production, down 227 mcf per day, 1.8%, from a January average of 12,976 mcf per day and down 17.7% from a February 2023 average of 15,488 mcf per day.
There were also no new wells drilled at Furie's Kitchen Lights in 2023. The field averaged 12,232 mcf per day in February, 5.9% of inlet volume, down 305 mcf per day, 2.4%, from a January volume of 12,537 mcf per day, but up 1.3% from a February 2023 average of 12,077 mcf per day.
Smaller fields Several smaller Cook Inlet fields saw drilling in 2023 or have permits for 2024 drilling. All are Hilcorp fields. The company permitted a well at its Cannery Loop field early this year, drilled a sidetrack at Lewis River in 2023, drilled three new gas wells at Swanson River in 2023, did a redrill of a Trading Bay well in 2023 and currently has a new well permitted at that field.
These smaller fields have production ranging from 4.8% of total volume to less than 0.1%, from an average of 9,823 mcf per day to an average of 123 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 9,823 mcf per day in February, down 1,280 mcf per day, 11.5%, from a January average of 11,103 mcf per day but up 11% from a February 2023 average of 8,849 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 6,492 mcf per day in February, down 368 mcf per day, 5.4%, from a January average of 6,859 mcf per day and down 16% from a February 2023 average of 7,729 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 5,172 mcf per day in February, down 100 mcf per day, 1.9%, from a January average of 5,272 mcf per day but up 8.6% from a February 2023 average of 4,762 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 3,402 mcf per day in February, down 135 mcf per day, 3.8%, from a January average of 3,537 mcf per day and down 15.7% from a February 2023 average of 4,033 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 3,086 mcf per day in February, down 6 mcf per day, 0.2%, from a January average of 3,092 mcf per day and down 7.3% from a February 2023 average of 3,327 mcf per day.
AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 2,156 mcf per day in February, down 65 mcf per day, 2.9%, from a January average of 2,221 mcf per day but up 9.8% from a February 2023 average of 1,964 mcf per day.
Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,995 mcf per day in February, down 14 mcf per day, 0.7%, from a January average of 2,008 mcf per day and down 26.5% from a February 2023 average of 2,712 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 1,920 mcf per day in February, down 800 mcf per day, 29.4% from a January average of 2,720 mcf per day and down 72.3% from a February 2023 average of 6,928 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 1,677 mcf per day in February, down 126 mcf per day, 7%, from a January average of 1,803 mcf per day but up 310.3% from a February 2023 average of 409 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 1,110 mcf per day in February, up 69 mcf per day, 6.6%, from a January average of 1,041 mcf per day but down 11.5% from a February 2023 average of 1,255 mcf per day.
BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 995 mcf per day in February, down 306 mcf per day, 23.5%, from a January average of 1,301 mcf per day and down 35.3% from a February 2023 average of 1,538 mcf per day.
Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 197 mcf per day in February, down 41 mcf per day, 17.2%, from a January average of 238 mcf per day but up 100.5% from a February 2023 average of 98 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.
CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 176 mcf per day in February, up 5 mcf per day, 2.9%, from a January average of 171 mcf per day and up 29% from a February 2023 average of 136 mcf per day.
Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 163 mcf per day in February, down 39 mcf per day, 19.3%, from a January average of 201 mcf per day and down 24% from a February 2024 average of 214 mcf per day.
Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 123 mcf per day in February, down 21 mcf per day, 14.6%, from a January average of 144 mcf per day and down 56.3% from a February 2023 average of 281 mcf per day.
Cook Inlet natural gas production peaked in 1990 at more than 850,000 mcf per day.
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