Who produces crude oil in Alaska?

ConocoPhillips heads the list of the Top 15 oil producers thus far in 2011, data from the state Division of Oil and Gas shows

Wesley Loy

For Petroleum News

Headlines in the trade press tend to focus on the cutting edge — new oil and gas developments, or plans and aspirations for future development.

It’s easy to lose sight of yesterday’s glories.

With that said, Petroleum News wondered: Who produces oil from past Alaska discoveries? And how much?

The state Division of Oil and Gas provided data allowing us to develop a Top 15 list of producers.

Perhaps not surprisingly, ConocoPhillips is the leading producer by a good margin. The Houston-based integrated giant operates the prolific Kuparuk and Alpine oil fields on the North Slope, and owns 36 percent of BP-operated Prudhoe Bay, the nation’s largest oil field.

Please keep the following important qualifications in mind when reviewing the list.

These are working interest volumes produced on state land for the period January through August 2011. No production is included from federal or private acreage. That’s OK, because the vast majority of Alaska oil is produced from state lands and waters.