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North Slope production down 3% for April, led by plunge at Northstar
Kristen Nelson, PNA editor-in-chief
Alaska North Slope crude oil production averaged 1,024,407 barrels a day in April, down 2.99 percent from a March average of 1,055,952 bpd.
The drop was led by a 27.4 percent production drop at Northstar, where production has been curtailed since mid-month following failure of an electric motor (see Northstar brief).
The Department of Revenue said a big temperature swing on the North Slope reduced production April 25-27. The average pump station No. 1 temperature went from 8 degrees Fahrenheit on April 24 to 23.8 degrees F on April 26 before getting back into the single digits by the end of the month.
Th average temperature for April was 5 degrees F, compared to a four-year average of 9.1 degrees F for the month. Prudhoe down 4 percent April production at Prudhoe Bay (including Midnight Sun, Aurora, Polaris and Borealis) averaged 525,654 bpd, down 4.2 percent from a March average of 548,376 bpd. Alpine production (including Nanuq) averaged 93,887 bpd in April, down 1.5 percent from a March average of 95,355 bpd. Kuparuk River production (including West Sak, Tabasco, Tarn and Meltwater) averaged 216,164 bpd in April, down 1.3 percent from a March average of 281,922 bpd. Endicott production (including Sag Delta, Eider and Badami) averaged 33,230 bpd in April, down 1.2 percent from a March average of 33,625 bpd.
Production increased at Lisburne and Milne Point.
Lisburne (including Point McIntyre, Niakuk, West Beach and North Prudhoe Bay State) averaged 67,859 bpd in April, up 12.5 percent from a March average of 60,296 bpd. Revenue said Lisburne Production Center production decreased in mid-March for compressor work.
Milne Point (including Schrader Bluff and Sag River) averaged 51,160 bpd in April, up 4 percent from a March average of 49,177 bpd.
Cook Inlet production averaged 34,519 bpd in April, up 10 percent from a March average of 31,352 bpd.
Prudhoe Bay natural gas liquids production averaged 43,904 bpd in April, down 8.7 percent from a March average of 48,095 bpd.
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