|
July ANS crude production down 2.6 percent from June Early July slow downs in shipping from Valdez, maintenance on North Slope result in production below Oil and Gas Audit Division spring estimates Kristen Nelson PNA News Editor
Tanker delays early in July and facilities’ maintenance at Prudhoe Bay, Lisburne and Valdez resulted in lower than expected production in July, the Alaska Department of Revenue Division of Oil and Gas Audit said Aug. 3.
Fiscal year-to-date production as of Aug. 3 averaged 1.006 million barrels a day, 41,000 barrels a day below the production estimate the division released in April. The division tracks prices and production from June 1 (the state’s fiscal year begins July 1) because prices and production relate to revenue in the month that follows.
Average ANS liquid production in July was 1.005 million barrels a day, compared to July 1998 liquid production averaging 1.180 million barrels a day.
July ANS crude production averaged 0.966 million barrels a day, compared to July 1998 average crude production of 1.122 million barrels a day.
The division said that tanker delays, maintenance on the Valdez storage facility and West Coast refinery shut-ins required numerous producer prorations over the past couple of months. These prorations — proportional reductions in production — occurred through July 6, oil and gas audit economist Denise Hawes said Aug. 2. Two 510,000 barrel storage tanks at Valdez are out of service for routine maintenance through September.
Greater Point McIntyre area natural gas liquids plant maintenance July 14 through July 31 caused a 3,000-5,000 barrel per day decrease from the Lisburne production center, Hawes said.
At Prudhoe Bay, planned maintenance at gathering center No. 1 on July 23 led to a subsequent power failure. And a July 24 gathering center No. 2 turnaround resulted in a 70,000-90,000 barrel per day output curtailment.
7 percent drop in production at Prudhoe Bay July Alaska North Slope production declines were led by Prudhoe Bay, which averaged 40,109 fewer barrels a day in July than in June.
Prudhoe Bay production averaged 522,203 barrels a day in July, down 7.13 percent from an average 562,312 barrels a day in June. Production from Endicott (Endicott, Eider and Badami fields) was down 0.5 percent, averaging 49,767 barrels a day in July compared to 50,005 barrels a day in June.
July production at other North Slope fields was up, led by Milne Point, which averaged 55,126 barrels a day in July, up 9.3 percent from an average of 50,427 barrels a day in June. Lisburne production center (Point McIntyre, Niakuk, Lisburne fields) averaged 126,854 barrels a day in July, up 7.1 percent from an average of 118,468 barrels a day in June.
Kuparuk (Kuparuk, Tarn, Tabasco) averaged 251,139 barrels a day in July, up 0.3 percent from an average of 250,352 barrels a day in June.
Prudhoe Bay natural gas liquids production averaged 39,622 barrels a day in July, down 8.6 percent from an average of 43,341 barrels a day in June.
Cook Inlet production averaged 28,433 barrels a day in July, down 4.6 percent from an average of 29,799 barrels a day in June.
Prudhoe Bay production accounted for 50.5 percent of total Alaska production in July, followed by Kuparuk (24.3 percent), Lisburne (12.3 percent), Milne Point (5.3 percent), Endicott (4.8 percent) and Cook Inlet (2.8 percent).
| 