|
Alpine, Northstar fields hit new production highs
Kristen Nelson Petroleum News Editor-in-Chief
Alaska North Slope crude oil production averaged 999,048 barrels per day in January, up 1.76 percent from a December average of 981,738 bpd. Northstar and Alpine, both of which had mechanical problems late last year, set daily production records in January.
On Jan. 1, Alpine produced 118,613 bpd, and on Jan. 26 Northstar produced 84,954 bpd. Northstar, operated by BP Exploration (Alaska), averaged 78,667 bpd in January, up 33.39 percent from a December average of 58,973 bpd. In December the field was down early in the month awaiting delivery of a replacement after a transformer failed Nov. 27 and BP had to bring in a helicopter from out of state to lift a replacement in from Prudhoe Bay. Production ramped up at the field beginning Dec. 7, accounting for the low average production in December.
ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Alpine had a problem with an inlet separator in December, resulting in lower-than-normal average production. The field averaged 104,893 bpd in January, up 19 percent from a December average of 88,133 bpd. Production down at most North Slope fields All other North Slope fields had lower daily average production in January than in December. The BP-operated Lisburne facility (which processes production from Lisburne, Point McIntyre and Niakuk) averaged 58,561 bpd in January, down 5.8 percent from a December average of 62,168 bpd. The Alaska Department of Revenue reports that Lisburne production decreased for the tie-in of a new well at month end.
BP-operated Endicott averaged 27,745 bpd in January, down 2.47 percent from a December average of 28,447 bpd.
BP-operated Milne Point averaged 49,443 bpd in January, down 2.1 percent from a December average of 50,489 bpd. The state reports a turbine replacement at Milne Point this month, with production averaging just 37,000 bpd Jan. 19-25.
The ConocoPhillips-operated Kuparuk River field, which processes Kuparuk and West Sak production, as well as satellites Tabasco, Tarn, Meltwater and Palm, averaged 197,566 bpd in January, down 2.15 percent from a January average of 201,908 bpd.
BP-operated Prudhoe Bay, including satellite production from Midnight Sun, Aurora, Polaris, Borealis and Orion, averaged 482,173 bpd in January, down 1.92 percent from a December average of 491,620 bpd.
The North Slope temperature at Pump Station No. 1 averaged -8.1 degrees Fahrenheit in January, compared to -3.2 degrees F in December.
Cook Inlet production averaged 25,717 bpd in January, down 4.82 percent from a December average of 27,024 bpd.
|
