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ANS June production slightly above May Northstar production hits new level, averaging 71,252 barrels per day Kristen Nelson Petroleum News Editor-in-Chief
Alaska North Slope crude oil production for June averaged 1,009,054 barrels per day, topping May's average of 1,006,545 bpd by just 0.25 percent, driven by a 7 percent increase in Northstar production and a 1.45 percent increase for Prudhoe Bay; other June numbers were down from May.
Northstar production averaged 71,252 bpd, up 4,693 bpd from the May average of 66,559 bpd. This is the first month when average production from the field, which came on in November 2001, has topped the 70,000 bpd mark. The field first average above the 60,000 bpd mark in June 2002 at 60,980 bpd, but only reached that level again in March and May of this year, when production averaged 62,966 bpd and 66,559 bpd, respectively.
Daren Beaudo, spokesman for Northstar field operator BP Exploration (Alaska), told Petroleum News July 2 that production volumes at Northstar “are generally up as the result of improved compressor reliability.”
June production from the field was “very good as the result of high plant reliability and rescheduling of some future downtime. Barring unforeseen problems in 2003 we don't expect the production to vary significantly from this trend,” he said. Prudhoe Bay production also up Although Prudhoe Bay production (includes Midnight Sun, Aurora, Polaris, Borealis and Orion) was up 6,725 bpd, averaging 471,057 bpd in June compared to 464,332 bpd in May, production from the field was down early in the month after Gathering Center 3 was down for maintenance from May 31 through the early part of June. The Department of Revenue, which reports production figures, said a dip in production June 21-22 was due to high temperatures. The June temperature at pump station 1 averaged 40.3 degrees Fahrenheit compared to a three-year average of 43.9 degrees F.
Production from Milne Point averaged 51,235 bpd in June, down 3.12 percent from a May average of 52,884, a difference of 1,649 bpd. Alpine production averaged 101,532 bpd, down 2.7 percent from a May average of 104,345, a drop of 2,813 bpd.
The Kuparuk River field (including West Sak, Tabasco, Tarn, Meltwater and Palm), averaged 215,695 bpd in June, down 1.94 percent from a May average of 219,963, a drop of 4,268 bpd.
Endicott (including Eider and Badami) and Lisburne (including Point McIntyre, Niakuk and West Beach), had marginal declines. Endicott averaged 32,407 bpd in June, down 0.25 percent from a May average of 32,489 (a difference of 82 barrels), while Lisburne averaged 65,876 bpd in June, down 0.15 percent from a May average of 65,973 (a difference of 97 barrels).
Cook Inlet production averaged 29,478 bpd in June, up 2.17 percent from a May average of 28,851 (an increase of 627 barrels).
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