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August ANS production down 11% from July Production down substantially during Alyeska’s second planned maintenance shutdown of summer; Cook Inlet July production up 1% KRISTEN NELSON Petroleum News
Alaska North Slope production averaged 418,127 barrels per day in August, down 10.6 percent from a July average of 467,922, with all fields down substantially Aug. 21-22 during Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.’s second planned maintenance shutdown of the summer.
Alyeska spokeswoman Michelle Egan said work done during the shutdown included replacement of remote gate valve 40; complete power process and control system modifications at Pump Station 1 related to electrification and automation startup; and testing of nine mainline valves between Pump Station 3 and Pump Station 4.
All North Slope reported volumes dropped over the period of the shutdown, with Prudhoe Bay volumes beginning to drop Aug. 18 and only getting back into the prior-shutdown range Aug. 29.
In addition to Alyeska maintenance, seasonal work is done on North Slope fields over the summer, coinciding with Alyeska’s planned maintenance and taking advantage of the warmer weather.
Prudhoe Bay, operated by BP Exploration (Alaska), had the largest month-over-month volume drop, averaging 210,942 bpd in August, down 39,157 bpd, 15.7 percent, from a July average of 250,099 bpd. Prudhoe Bay volumes include satellite production from Aurora, Borealis, Midnight Sun, Orion, Polaris, Sag River, Schrader Bluff and Ugnu, as well as production from the Hilcorp Alaska-operated Milne Point and North Star fields.
August information is from the Alaska Department of Revenue’s Tax Division which reports North Slope oil production consolidated by major production centers and provides daily production and monthly averages. July data, which is more detailed, including Cook Inlet and individual North Slope fields and pools, comes from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission which reports on a month-delay basis.
Milne Point production averaged 19,063 bpd in July, up 7.4 percent from a June average of 17,752, while Northstar production averaged 6,513 bpd in July, up 13.1 percent from a June average of 5,757 bpd.
Largest percentage drop The Hilcorp Alaska-operated Endicott field had the largest month-over-month percentage drop, 20.4 percent, averaging 7,423 bpd in August, down 1,907 bpd from a July average of 9,330 bpd. Endicott includes production from Eider, Minke and Sag Delta, as well as the Savant Alaska-operated Badami field. July volumes for Badami, as reported by AOGCC, show the field averaged 932 bpd, down 3 percent from a June average of 962 bpd.
The ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Alpine field averaged 40,506 bpd in August, down 12.3 percent, 5,679 bpd, from a July average of 46,185 bpd. Alpine includes satellite production from Fiord, Nanuq and Qannik.
August production at the BP-operated Lisburne field, part of greater Prudhoe Bay, averaged 16,949 bpd in August, down 5.7 percent, 1,030 bpd, from a July average of 17,979 bpd. Lisburne includes production from Niakuk, Point McIntyre and Raven.
The ConocoPhillips-operated Kuparuk River field averaged 142,307 bpd in August, down 1.4 percent, 2,022 bpd, from a July average of 144,329 bpd. Kuparuk volumes include satellite production from Meltwater, Northeast West Sak, Tabasco, Tarn and West Sak, as well as from the Eni-operated Nikaitchuq field and the Caelus Alaska-operated Oooguruk field.
July volumes for Nikaitchuq, as reported by AOGCC, are 24,485 bpd, up 5.5 percent, 1,276 bpd, from a June average of 23,209 bpd. July volumes for Oooguruk were 11,503 bpd, down 17.4 percent, 2,422 bpd, from a June average of 13,925 bpd. In July, Nikaitchuq accounted for 17 percent of the total volume shown for Kuparuk; Oooguruk accounted for 8 percent.
Cook Inlet up 1.3 percent Cook Inlet crude oil production averaged 18,585 bpd in July, up 1.3 percent from a June average of 18,346 bpd.
The Hilcorp Alaska-operated McArthur River field, Cook Inlet’s largest, averaged 5,951 bpd in July, up 7 percent from a June average of 5,564 bpd.
Trading Bay, also Hilcorp operated, averaged 3,268 bpd in July, down 5.1 percent from a June average of 3,447 bpd.
Hilcorp’s Swanson River field averaged 2,551 bpd in July, down 6.8 percent from a June average of 2,735 bpd.
Granite Point, also operated by Hilcorp, averaged 2,511 bpd in July, up 6.6 percent from a June average of 2,357 bpd.
The XTO-operated Middle Ground Shoal field, which Hilcorp is in the process of acquiring, averaged 1,924 bpd, up 0.5 percent from a June average of 1,914 bpd.
West McArthur River, operated by Cook Inlet Energy, averaged 1,300 bpd in July, up 7.8 percent from a June average of 1,206 bpd.
Redoubt Shoal, also operated by Cook Inlet Energy, averaged 963 bpd in July, down 3.7 percent from a June average of 999 bpd.
Hilcorp’s Beaver Creek field, Cook Inlet’s smallest, averaged 117 bpd in July, down 5 percent from a June average of 123 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.
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