ANS production down 1.3% month-over-month

North Slope crude, natural gas liquids average 522,421 bpd for February, down 1% year-over-year; Cook Inlet up 1% at 14,116 bpd

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska North Slope production averaged 522,421 barrels per day in February, down 1.3%, 6,796 bpd, from a January average of 529,217 bpd and down 1% from a February 2019 average of 577,644 bpd. ANS crude oil production averaged 462,549 bpd, down 1.3%, 5,897 bpd, from a January average of 468,446 bpd, and down 2.1% from a February 2019 average of 472,457 bpd. Natural gas liquids production averaged 59,872 bpd, down 1.5%, 899 bpd, from a January average of 60,770 bpd but up 8.5% from a February 2019 average of 55,187 bpd.

Production data reported here is from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which provides volumes by field and well on a month delay basis.

Few month-over-month increases

Point Thomson, operated by ExxonMobil Production, averaged 5,774 bpd in February, up 9.1%, 482 bpd, from a January average of 5,292 bpd, but down 34.3% from a February 2019 average of 8,784 bpd. The field produces condensate from a high pressure reservoir, reinjecting gas, and has rarely produced at the facility’s rated 10,000 bpd. The company told the state in its most recent plan of development (see story in Nov. 17, 2019, issue of Petroleum News) that it is addressing issues in its gas injection equipment, has begun installing upgraded components and expects to receive and install the remaining equipment during the 2020-21 plan period.

Milne Point, operated by Hilcorp Alaska, averaged 31,960 bpd in February, up 0.7%, 231 bpd, from a January average of 31,729 bpd and up 38.3% from a February 2019 average of 23,108 bpd. Hilcorp took over operatorship at Milne and a 50% working interest in 2014 - when the field was averaging some 18,400 bpd. The company said in February that it expects to reach 40,000 bpd at the field by the end of 2020 (see story in March 1 issue of Petroleum News).

Endicott, also operated by Hilcorp, averaged 7,225 bpd in February, up 1.6%, 116 bpd, from a January average of 7,109 bpd, but down 3.8% from a February 2019 average of 7,508 bpd. Crude oil production at Endicott averaged 6,316 bpd in February, up 1.7%, 105 bpd, from a January average of 6,211 bpd but down 2.7% from a February 2019 average of 6,489 bpd. NGL production averaged 909 bpd, up 1.2%, 11 bpd, from a January average of 898 bpd, but down 10.8% from a February 2019 average of 1,019 bpd.

Other fields down month-over-month

The largest percentage drop, 5.5%, was at Eni’s Oooguruk field, which averaged 8,672 bpd in February, down 501 bpd from a January average of 9,173 bpd and down 5.3% from a February 2019 average of 9,155 bpd.

ConocoPhillips Alaska’s Colville River averaged 51,206 bpd in February, down 5.2%, 2,778 bpd, from a January average of 53,984 bpd and down 3.5% from a February 2019 average of 53,053 bpd.

In addition to oil from the main Alpine pool, Colville production includes satellite production from Fiord, Nanuq and Qannik.

Badami, operated by Savant Alaska, a Glacier Oil & Gas company, averaged 1,357 bpd in February, down 3.8%, 53 bpd, from a January average of 1,410 bpd and down 25.6% from a February 2019 average of 1,823 bpd.

Northstar, operated by Hilcorp, averaged 9,925 bpd in February, down 3.4%, 347 bpd, from a January average of 10,271 bpd, and down 14.1% from a February 2019 average of 11,553 bpd. The field averaged 6,888 bpd of crude oil in February, down 0.6%, 41 bpd, from a January average of 6,929 bpd and down 18.9% from a February 2019 average of 8,496 bpd, and averaged 3,036 bpd of NGLs in February, down 9.2%, 306 bpd, from a January average of 3,342 bpd and down 0.7% from a February 2019 average of 3,057 bpd. Northstar has the highest percentage of NGLs on the North Slope, 30.6% of its production in February, compared to 20% at Prudhoe and 12.5% at Endicott.

ConocoPhillips’ Greater Mooses Tooth, in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, averaged 5,105 bpd in February, down 3%, 158 bpd, from a January average of 5,264 bpd and down 59.2% from a February 2019 average of 12,526 bpd.

The ConocoPhillips-operated Kuparuk River field averaged 101,913 bpd in February, down 2.7%, 2,802 bpd, from a January average of 104,716 bpd and down 5.3% from a February 2019 average of 107,582 bpd.

In addition to the main Kuparuk pool, Kuparuk produces from satellites at Meltwater, Tabasco and Tarn, and from West Sak.

Eni’s Nikaitchuq field averaged 20,044 bpd in February, down 1.1%, 221 bpd, from a January average of 20,265 bpd but up 16.2% from a February 2019 average of 17,244 bpd.

The BP Exploration (Alaska)-operated Prudhoe Bay field, the Slope’s largest, averaged 279,241 bpd in February, down 0.3%, 764 bpd, from a January average of 280,004 bpd but up 1.4% from a February 2019 average of 275,307 bpd. Prudhoe production includes an average of 223,314 bpd of crude, down 0.1%, 160 bpd, from a January average of 223,474 bpd and down 0.4% from a February 2019 average of 224,196 bpd, and 55,927 bpd of NGLs, down 1.1%, 604 bpd, from a January average of 56,530 bpd but up 9.4% from a February 2019 average of 51,111 bpd.

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.

Cook Inlet production up marginally

Of the inlet’s nine oil fields, six had no change or showed an increase, while three were down month-over-month - with seven of the nine down year-over-year.

Hilcorp’s Swanson River field averaged 938 bpd in February, up 21.8%, 168 bpd, from a January average of 770 bpd but down 11.8% from a February 2019 average of 1,063 bpd.

BlueCrest’s Hansen field, the Cosmopolitan project, averaged 1,140 bpd in February, up 6.2%, 66 bpd, from a January average of 1,073 bpd but down 18.4% from a February 2019 average of 1,396 bpd.

Redoubt Shoal, operated by Cook Inlet Energy, a Glacier Oil & Gas company, averaged 1,303 bpd in February, up 5.4%, 66 bpd, from a January average of 1,237 bpd, but down 12.9% from a February average of 1,496 bpd.

Hilcorp’s Middle Ground Shoal averaged 1,260 bpd in February, up 2.3%, 29 bpd, from a January average of 1,231 bpd, but down 11.4% from a February 2019 average of 1,422 bpd.

Hilcorp’s Granite Point averaged 3,348 bpd in February, up 1.2%, 40 bpd, from a January average of 3,308 bpd and up 27.6% from a February 2019 average of 2,624 bpd.

Hilcorp’s Beaver Creek averaged 222 bpd in February, unchanged from January, but down 35.8% from a February 2019 average of 346 bpd.

West McArthur River, operated by Glacier’s Cook Inlet Energy, averaged 331 bpd in February, down 10.2%, 37 bpd, from a January average of 368 bpd and down 52.1% from a February 2019 average of 690 bpd.

Hilcorp’s McArthur River, Cook Inlet’s largest, averaged 4,275 bpd in February, down 3.9%, 172 bpd, from a January average of 4,447 bpd and down 11.1% from a February 2019 average of 4,810 bpd.

Hilcorp’s Trading Bay averaged 1,300 bpd in February, down 3.3%, 45 bpd, from a January average of 1,345 bpd but up 1% from a February 2019 average of 1,287 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 natural gas production up by 5%

Seven fields account for 83% of Cook Inlet natural gas production. From largest to smallest they are: Ninilchik, Kenai, Swanson River, McArthur River, North Cook Inlet, Beluga River and Kitchen Lights.

This data is from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which reports production on a month-delay basis. For natural gas AOGCC reports measurements in thousands of cubic feet, mcf.

Hilcorp Alaska’s Ninilchik field averaged 43,083 mcf per day in February, up 11%, 4,284 mcf, from a January average of 38,800 mcf per day, and up 14.5% from a February 2019 average of 37,618 mcf.

Hilcorp’s Kenai field averaged 34,471 mcf per day in February, up 3.3%, 1,103 mcf, from a January average of 33,368 mcf per day and up 6% from a February 2019 average of 32,523 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Swanson River averaged 34,254 mcf per day in February, down 0.1%, 28 mcf, from a January average of 34,283 mcf per day and down 1% from a February 2019 average of 34,534 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s McArthur River, the inlet’s largest oil producer, averaged 20,718 mcf per day of natural gas in February, down 4.1%, 892 mcf per day, from a January average of 21,610 mcf and down 15.2% from a February 2019 average of 24,439 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s North Cook Inlet field averaged 19,071 mcf per day in February, up 8.8%, 1,542 mcf, from a January average of 17,529 mcf per day, and up 28.4% from a February 2019 average of 14,851 mcf per day.

The Beluga River field, operated by Hilcorp, averaged 18,717 mcf per day in February, down 0.3%, 55 mcf, from a January average of 18,773 mcf per day and down 32.1% from a February 2019 average of 27,567 mcf per day.

Furie’s Kitchen Lights averaged 14,360 mcf per day in February, down 1%, 136 mcf per day, from a January average of 14,496 but up 21,219% from February 2019, when the field was basically down due icing in lines and averaged 67 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Beaver Creek averaged 7,051 mcf per day in February, up 1.6%, 108 mcf, from a January average of 6,944 mcf per day but down 16% from a February 2019 average of 8,391 mcf.

Kenai Loop, operated by AIX, averaged 5,219 mcf per day in February, down marginally from an average of 5,223 mcf in January and down 4.5% from an average of 5,468 mcf per day in February 2019.

Hilcorp’s Cannery Loop averaged 4,779 mcf per day in February, down 10.6%, 566 mcf, from a January average of 5,344 mcf but up 5.2% from a February 2019 average of 4,542 mcf per day.

BlueCrest’s Hansen field averaged 4,566 mcf per day in February, down 3.9%, 187 mcf, from a January average of 4,753 mcf and down 53% from a February 2019 average of 9,722 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Deep Creek averaged 4,113 mcf per day in February, up 2.9%, 115 mcf, from a January average of 3,998 mcf per day but down 8.7% from a February 2019 average of 4,506 mcf per day.

North Fork, operated by Cook Inlet Energy, a Glacier Oil & Gas company, averaged 3,715 mcf per day in February, up 15.2%, 490 mcf, from a January average of 3,225 mcf per day, but down 5.1% from a February 2019 average of 3,916 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Granite Point averaged 3,465 mcf per day in February, up 5%, 167 mcf, from a January average of 3,299 mcf per day and up 19.5% from a February 2019 average of 2,901 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Trading Bay averaged 2,920 mcf per day in February, up 14.9%, 380 mcf, from a January average of 2,540 mcf per day but down 2.1% from a February 2019 average of 2,982 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Lewis River averaged 1,113 mcf per day in February, down 24%, 352 mcf, from a January average of 1,465 mcf per day but up 368.3% from a February 2019 average of 238 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Nikolaevsk averaged 434 mcf per day in February, up 4.9%, 20 mcf, from a January average of 414 mcf per day and up 1.5% from a February 2019 average of 427 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Ivan River averaged 376 mcf per day in February, up 19%, 60 mcf, from a January average of 316 mcf per day, and up 1.7% from a February 2019 average of 370 mcf per day.

Hilcorp’s Middle Ground Shoal averaged 278 mcf per day in February, up 19.7%, 46 mcf, from a January average of 232 mcf per day but down 12.5% from a February 2019 average of 317 mcf per day.

Redoubt Shoal, operated by Glacier’s Cook Inlet Energy, averaged 271 mcf per day in February, down 0.8%, 2 mcf, from a January average of 274 mcf per day but up 12.1% from a February 2019 average of 242 mcf per day.

Amaroq’s Nicolai Creek averaged 265 mcf per day in February, up 19.3%, 43 mcf, from a January average of 222 mcf per day but down 37.8% from a February 2019 average of 427 mcf per day.

West McArthur River, operated by Glacier’s Cook Inlet Energy, averaged 63 mcf per day in February, down 8.8%, 6 mcf, from a January average of 69 mcf per day and down 38.4% from a February 2019 average of 102 mcf per day.

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

—KRISTEN NELSON

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