Sidebar: Cook Inlet gas production down marginally

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Natural gas production in Cook Inlet averaged 204,415 thousand cubic feet per day in December, down 0.8%, 1,585 mcf per day, from a November average of 205,988 mcf per day and down 9.5% from a December 2020 average of 225,968 mcf per day.

Volumes are from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which reports production by field and well on a month-delay basis. For natural gas AOGCC reports measurements in thousands of cubic feet, mcf.

Seven large gas fields account for some 81% of current production.

The most productive natural gas field in Cook Inlet currently is Hilcorp’s North Cook Inlet, which averaged 32,414 mcf per day in December, 15.9% of inlet production, up 839 mcf per day, 2.7%, from a November average of 31,576 mcf per day and up 87.3% from a December 2020 average of 17,302 mcf per day. Hilcorp has been working at the field which it acquired from ConocoPhillips in 2016; in December 2016 the field averaged 13,911 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Ninilchik field averaged 30,830 mcf per day in December, 15.1% of inlet production, up 610 mcf per day, 2%, from a November average of 30,221 mcf per day but down 1.6% from a December 2020 average of 31,326 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Kenai field averaged 28,819 mcf per day in December, 14.1% of inlet production, down 1.3%, 376 mcf per day, from a November average of 29,195 mcf per day and down 36.6% from a December 2020 average of 45,473 mcf per day.

The Hilcorp-operated Beluga River field averaged 28,645 mcf per day in December, 14% of inlet production, up 2,118 mcf per day, 8%, from a November average of 26,527 mcf per day and up 19.9% from a December 2020 average of 23,895 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s McArthur River field averaged 20,277 mcf per day, 9.9% of inlet production, down 7%, 1,520 mcf per day, from a November average of 23,797 mcf per day and down 27.8% from a December 2020 average of 28,096 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Swanson River averaged 12,172 mcf per day in December, 6% of inlet production, down 183 mcf per day, 1.5%, from a November average of 12,355 mcf per day and down 37.4% from a December 2020 average of 19,442 mcf per day.

Furie’s Kitchen Lights averaged 11,900 mcf per day in December, 5.8% of inlet production, up 706 mcf per day, 6.3%, from a November average of 11,194 mcf per day and down 19% from a December 2020 average of 14,690 mcf per day.

Smaller fields each contribute less than 5% of inlet production.

Hilcorp’s Beaver Creek averaged 8,475 mcf per day in December, down 517 mcf per day, 5.8%, from a November average of 8,992 mcf per day and down 29.1% from a December 2020 average of 11,961 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Ivan River averaged 7,183 mcf per day in December, down 26%, 2,530 mcf per day, from a November average of 9,713 mcf per day but up 16.4% from a December 2020 average of 6,169 mcf per day.

AIX’s Kenai Loop averaged 4,118 mcf per day in December, down 170 mcf per day, 4%, from a November average of 4,288 mcf per day and down 19% from a December 2020 average of 5,085 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Cannery Loop averaged 3,990 mcf per day in December, down 181 mcf per day, 4.3%, from a November average of 4,171 mcf per day and down 22.7% from a December 2020 average of 5,158 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Granite Point averaged 3,532 mcf per day in December, up 23 mcf per day, 0.7%, from a November average of 3,509 mcf per day but down 6.4% from a December 2020 average of 3,773 mcf per day.

Vision Operating’s North Fork field averaged 3,296 mcf per day in December, up 309 mcf per day, 10.3%, from a November average of 2,987 mcf per day and up 5.4% from a December 2020 average of 3,126 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Deep Creek averaged 3,157 mcf per day in December, down 9%, 312 mcf per day, from a November average of 3,469 mcf per day and down 9.7% from a December 2020 average of 3,496 mcf per day.

BlueCrest’s Hansen field averaged 1,881 mcf per day in December, down 239 mcf per day, 11.3%, from a November average of 2,120 mcf per day and down 32.5% from a December 2020 average of 2,784 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Trading Bay averaged 1,556 mcf per day in December, down 55 mcf per day, 3.4%, from a November average of 1,611 mcf per day, and down 30.9% from a December 2020 average of 2,250 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Lewis River averaged 1,022 mcf per day in December, down 39 mcf per day, 3.7%, from a November average of 1,061 mcf per day and up 5.1% from a December 2020 average of 973 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Seaview averaged 307 mcf per day in December, up 88 mcf per day, 40%, from a November average of 219 mcf per day. The field was not yet in production in December 2020.

Hilcorp’s Nikolaevsk averaged 283 mcf per day in December, down 22 mcf per day, 7.2%, from a November average of 305 mcf per day and down 13.7% from a December 2020 average of 328 mcf per day.

Amaroq’s Nicolai Creek averaged 267 mcf per day in December, down 148 mcf per day, 35.6%, from a November average of 415 mcf pr day and down 29.8% from a December 2020 average of 381 mcf per day.

Redoubt Shoal, operated by Cook Inlet Energy, a Glacier Oil & Gas company, averaged 222 mcf per day in December, up 9 mcf per day, 4%, from a December average of 213 mcf per day. The field was not in operation in December 2020.

West McArthur River, also operated by Cook Inlet Energy, averaged 57 mcf per day in December, up 4 mcf per day, 7.8%, from a November average of 53 mcf per day. The field was not in operation in December 2020.

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

- KRISTEN NELSON