ANS production down 1.9% month over month

March production averaged 476,063 bpd, down 9,200 bpd from February; largest February to March decline at Prudhoe, down 8,053 bpd

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska North Slope production averaged 476,063 barrels per day in March, down 9,200 bpd, 1.9%, from a February average of 485,263 bpd and down 1.1% from a March 2024 average of 481,347 bpd. ANS crude accounted for 89.43% of March production, 425,734 bpd, down 4,166 bpd, 0.97%, from a February average of 429,900 bpd but up 0.47% from a March 2024 average of 423,728 bpd. Natural gas liquids averaged 50,328 bpd in March, 10.57% of the total, down 5,035 bpd, 9.09%, from a February average of 55,363 bpd and down 12.65% from a March 2024 average of 57,619 bpd.

The North Slope Borough temperature averaged -1.6 degrees F in March, up from -6.2 degrees F in February, and up 8.6 degrees from a 1925-2000 mean of -10.2 degrees F. Temperature data are from the county time series maintained by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, which has North Slope Borough temperatures beginning in 1925.

Production data come from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission which reports production by field and well on a month delay basis.

Month-over-month increases

The largest percentage increase, 1,697.58%, was at Mustang Holding's Southern Miluveach field, which averaged 216 bpd in March, compared to a February average of 12 bpd, with one well, North Tarn 1A, in production for 25 days and a second well, Southern Miluveach Unit M-03A, online for two days. Southern Miluveach Unit M-03A accounted for just 3% of the field's March production. The field began continuous production in December, producing for three days; in January and February the field was only in production one day each month. December through February production was only from North Tarn 1A.

The largest volume increase, 1,616 bpd, was at Savant Alaska's Badami, which averaged 3,099 bpd in March, up 108.92%, from a February average of 1,483 bpd and up 267.11% from a March 2024 average of 844 bpd. The field's most productive well, Badami B1-33A, which came online in September, was on production 31 days in March, compared to only 11 days in February. Savant is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Nikaitchuq, which Hilcorp Alaska acquired from Eni in November along with Oooguruk, averaged 16,766 bpd in March, up 1,527 bpd, 10.02%, from a February average of 15,239 bpd and up 22.31% from a March 2024 average of 13,708 bpd.

The Hilcorp-operated Point Thomson field averaged 4,225 bpd in March, up 56 bpd, 1.34%, from a February average of 4,169 bpd; the field was not in operation in March 2024 following a pipeline leak. Operator Hilcorp holds 36.148% of Point Thomson, with ExxonMobil Alaska Production the majority working interest owner at 61.637% and other owners collectively holding 2.215%.

ConocoPhillips Alaska's Greater Mooses Tooth in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska averaged 17,978 bpd in March, up 30 bpd, 0.17%, from a February average of 17,948 bpd and up 8.45% from a March 2024 average of 16,578 bpd. The field produces from two pools, Lookout and Rendezvous, with Rendezvous accounting for the majority of the volume, 93.92% in March.

Hilcorp Alaska's Oooguruk averaged 6,189 bpd in March, up 23 bpd, 0.38%, from a February average of 6,166 bpd and up 9.76% from a March 2024 average of 5,639 bpd.

Month-over-month decreases

In addition to the primary reservoir, production volumes from Prudhoe include Aurora, Borealis, Lisburne, Midnight Sun, Niakuk, Polaris, Point McIntyre, Put River, Raven and Schrader Bluff.

ConocoPhillips Alaska holds 36.5% of the working interest ownership at Prudhoe; ExxonMobil Alaska Production holds 36.4%; operator Hilcorp North Slope holds 27.1%.

The ConocoPhillips-operated Kuparuk River field averaged 80,904 bpd in March, down 3,029 bpd, 3.61%, from a February average of 83,933 bpd but up 3.12% from a March 2024 average of 78,454 bpd. In addition to the main Kuparuk pool, Kuparuk produces from Coyote, Tabasco, Tarn, Torok and West Sak.

ConocoPhillips is the majority working interest owner at Kuparuk. The only other WIO, ExxonMobil, holds just 0.36%.

ConocoPhillips' Colville River averaged 33,562 bpd in March, down 1,086 bpd, 3.14%, from a February average of 34,648 bpd and down 9.53% from a February 2024 average of 37,098 bpd. In addition to oil from the main Alpine pool, Colville includes production from the Nanuq and Qannik oil pools.

Hilcorp Alaska's Endicott averaged 5,452 bpd in March, down 323 bpd, 5.6%, from a February average of 5,775 bpd and down 9.17% from a March 2024 average of 6,002 bpd. Endicott crude averaged 4,919 bpd in February, 90.23% of the total, down 440 bpd, 8.21%, from a February average of 5,359 bpd and down 5.33% from a March 2024 average of 5,196 bpd. Endicott NGLs averaged 533 bpd in March, 9.77% of the total, up 117 bpd, 28.06%, from a March average of 416 bpd but down 33.92% from a March 2024 average of 806 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska's Northstar averaged 5,182 bpd in March, down 94 bpd, 1.78%, from a February average of 5,276 bpd and down 3.38% from a March 2024 average of 5,363 bpd. Northstar crude averaged 2,752 bpd in March, 53.1% of the total, up 54 bpd, 2.02%, from a February average of 2,697 bpd but down 8.08% from a March 2024 average of 3,017 bpd. Northstar NGLs averaged 2,431 bpd in March, 46.9% of the total, down 148 bpd, 5.75%, from a February average of 2,579 bpd but up 3.59% from a March 2024 average of 2,346 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska's Milne Point averaged 47,073 bpd in March, down 70 bpd, 0.15%, from a February average of 47,143 bpd, but up 10.3% from a March 2024 average of 42,676 bpd. Milne Point produces primarily from the Schrader Bluff and Kuparuk oil pools, with minor Sag River and Ugnu volumes.

Cook Inlet liquids hold steady

Hilcorp Alaska's McArthur River averaged 2,209 bpd in March, up 159 bpd, 7.76%, from a February average of 2,049, but down 13.87% from a March 2024 average of 2,564 bpd.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 857 bpd in March, up 52 bpd, 6.48%, from a February average of 804 but down 10.79% from a March 2024 average of 960 bpd.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 1,870 bpd in March, up 13 bpd, 0.7%, from a February average of 1,857 bp but down 11.86% from a March 2024 average of 2,122 bpd.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 529 bpd in March, up 4 bpd, 0.78%, from a February average of 525 bpd, but down 22.47% from a March 2024 average of 682 bpd.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 894 bpd in March, down 101 bpd, 10.18%, from a February average of 996 bpd and down 15.88% from a March 2024 average of 1,063 bpd. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 559 bpd in March, down 76 bpd, 11.95%, from a February average of 635 and down 17.64% from a March 2024 average of 679 bpd.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 718 bpd in March, down 38 bpd, 4.96%, from a February average of 756 bpd and down 10.22% from a March 2024 average of 800 bpd.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 146 bpd in March, down 13 bpd, 8.44%, from a February average of 159 bpd and down 48.71% from a March 2024 average of 284 bpd.

ANS crude oil production peaked in 1988 at 2.1 million bpd; Cook Inlet crude oil production peaked in 1970 at more than 227,000 bpd.

Cook Inlet gas production up 3.21%

Seven large fields accounted for 87.19% of Cook Inlet gas production in March, 173,288 mcf per day, with 15 smaller fields making up the remainder.

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.

The Hilcorp Alaska-operated Beluga River field (Chugach Electric Association is the majority working interest owner) averaged 42,105 mcf per day in March, 21.18% of the inlet total, down 1,596 mcf per day, 3.65%, from a February average of 43,701 mcf per day and down 6.48% from a March 2024 average of 45,023 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's North Cook Inlet averaged 41,167 mcf per day in March, 20.71% of the total, down 1,252 mcf per day, 2.95%, from a February average of 42,420 mcf per day and down 4.29% from a March 2024 average of 43,012 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ninilchik averaged 38,421 mcf per day in March, 19.33% of the inlet total, up 12,116 mcf per day, 46.06%, from a February average of 26,306 mcf per day and up 8.12% from a March 2024 average of 36,207 mcf per day. The increase appears to come from Hilcorp drilling at the Kalotsa Pad, where it completed two new wells in March. Kalotsa accounted for 38.61% of Ninilchik production in February, increasing to 59.39% in February.

Hilcorp's Kenai field averaged 16,781 mcf per day in March, 8.44% of the inlet total, down 3,216 mcf per day, 16.08%, from a February average of 19,997 mcf per day and down 7.74% from a March 2024 average of 18,188 mcf per day.

Furie's Kitchen Lights averaged 13,137 mcf per day in March, 6.61% of inlet production, down 1,376 mcf per day, 9.48%, from a February average of 14,513 mcf per day but up 13.42% from a March 2024 average of 11,582 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 11,191 mcf per day in March, 5.63% of inlet production, up 660 mcf per day, 6.27%, from a February average of 10,531 mcf per day but down 9.38% from a March 2024 average of 12,350 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 10,486 mcf per day in March, 5.28% of inlet production, down 168 mcf per day, 1.58%, from a February average of 10,654 mcf per day but up 102% from a March 2024 average of 5,191 mcf per day.

Fifteen smaller fields in total accounted for 12.81% of inlet production in March

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 5,080 mcf per day in March, down 296 mcf per day, 5.5%, from a February average of 5,375 mcf per day and down 57.35% from a March 2024 average of 11,911 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 4,370 mcf per day in March, up 1,777 mcf per day, 68.51%, from a February average of 2,593 mcf per day but down 11.76% from a March 2024 average of 4,952 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 2,686 mcf per day in March, down 93 mcf per day, 3.33%, from a February average of 2,779 mcf per day and down 11.15% from a March 2024 average of 3,023 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 2,629 mcf per day in March, unchanged from February, but down 23.74% from a March 2024 average of 3,448 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 2,470 mcf per day in March, up 206 mcf per day, 9.09%, from a February average of 2,265 mcf per day and up 60.59% from a March 2024 average of 1,538 mcf per day.

AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 1,711 mcf per day in March, down 132 mcf per day, 7.18%, from a February average of 1,844 mcf per day and down 16.82% from a March 2024 average of 2,057 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,671 mcf per day in March, down 33 mcf per day, 1.96%, from a February average of 1,704 mcf per day and down 14.11% from a March 2024 average of 1,946 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Pretty Creek averaged 1,424 mcf per day in March, down 172 mcf per day, 10.77%, from a February average of 1,596 mcf per day but a gigantic leap from March 2024 when the field averaged 3 mcf per day. Hilcorp brought a sidetrack online in November and has other drilling planned at the field.

Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 1,178 mcf per day in March, down 307 mcf per day, 20.65%, from a February average of 1,485 mcf per day and down 51.43% from a March 2024 average of 2,436 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 807 mcf per day in March, up 55 mcf per day, 7.35%, from a February average of 752 mcf per day but down 22.46% from a March 2024 average of 1,041 mcf per day.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 590 mcf per day in March, up 29 mcf per day, 5.17%, from a February average of 561 mcf per day, but down 46.27% from a March 2024 average of 1,098 mcf per day.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 454 mcf per day in March, up 83 mcf per day, 22.46%, from a February average of 370 mcf per day and up 1,790.05% from a March 2024 average of 24 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 236 mcf per day in March, up 29 mcf per day, 14.25%, from a February average of 207 mcf per day but down 7.45% from a March 2024 average of 255 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 107 mcf per day in March, down 28 mcf per day, 20.59%, from a February average of 134 mcf per day and down 38.92% from a March 2024 average of 175 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 54 mcf per day in March, down 98 mcf per day, 64.65%, from a February average of 152 mcf per day and down 72.38% from a March 2024 average of 194 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet natural gas production peaked in 1990 at more than 850,000 mcf per day.

--KRISTEN NELSON

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