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Three North Slope fields show production increases in May
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News Editor-in-Chief
Average daily crude oil production from Alaska’s North Slope was down almost 1 percent in May compared to April, with an average of 966,900 barrels per day in May compared to 976,428 bpd in April.
Although month-to-month production averages were down at several North Slope fields, including the largest — Prudhoe Bay and Kuparuk— production was up at Northstar, Alpine and Milne Point.
BP Exploration (Alaska)-operated Northstar had the largest April to May increase, averaging 75,424 bpd in May, up 19 percent from an April average of 63,351. Production in April was down due to work on the crude stabilizer at the field. The Alaska Department of Revenue said Northstar had output reductions May 11-12 and May 23-25 for plant repairs. Production at the field dipped to 29,775 barrels May 25, but also got above the 80,000 bpd mark on seven days during May.
Production from BP’s Milne Point field was up 1.6 percent, averaging 50,492 bpd in May compared to 49,685 bpd in April.
And the ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Alpine field averaged 106,543 bpd in May, up 1 percent from an April average of 105,454 bpd. Revenue said Alpine lost a power transformer May 17, and had a three-day planned throughput reduction May 24-26. Production exceeded 100,000 bpd on all but four days in May, and exceeded 110,000 bpd on three days. Other fields down The BP-operated Endicott field averaged 27,293 bpd in May, down 5.3 percent from an April average of 28,817 bpd. The BP-operated Lisburne field (including Point McIntyre and Niakuk) averaged 53,571 bpd in May, down 5.1 percent from an April average of 56,449 bpd.
BP-operated Prudhoe Bay (including Midnight Sun, Aurora, Polaris, Borealis and Orion) averaged 461,562 bpd in May, down 3.5 percent from an April average of 478,176 bpd.
Production from the ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Kuparuk River field (which includes West Sak, Tabasco, Tarn, Meltwater and Palm) averaged 191,984 bpd in May, down 1.3 percent from an April average of 194,496 bpd.
The North Slope temperature at Pump Station No. 1 averaged 26.3 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to 4.6 degrees F in April, and compared to a three-year average for May of 24.1 degrees.
Crude oil production in the Cook Inlet basin in Southcentral Alaska averaged 25,130 bpd, up 2.4 percent from an April average of 24,548 bpd.
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