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Division approves PODs for 3 small units
Hilcorp's Ivan River, Lewis River, Pretty Creek are gas producing fields on the west side of Cook Inlet northeast of Beluga River Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
Derek Nottingham, director of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas, has approved 2025 plans of development for three Hilcorp Alaska units in the Cook Inlet basin: Ivan River, Lewis River and Pretty Creek. These small gas fields are on the west side of Cook Inlet, northeast of the Beluga River field.
All approvals are for June 1 through May 30, 2026.
Pretty Creek Pretty Creek is currently seeing the most work, with a new well planned from the existing pad and permitting underway for a new pad on the northern edge of the unit with drilling from that pad. The unit was formed by Union Oil Company of California in 1997. Hilcorp became the operator on Jan. 1, 2012. The unit currently as 4,660 acres.
Production from the field ceased in August 2019, the division said, and Hilcorp began work to restore it, completing a coil tubing cleanout of the PCU-02 well in 2021. While production was restored in 2023, it again declined.
Hilcorp restored production in November 2024 after drilling and completing the PCU-02A sidetrack. In March, the most recent month for which Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission production data is available, Pretty Creek averaged 1,424 thousand cubic feet per day.
During the 2024 POD, Hilcorp drilled the sidetrack, targeting Sterling and Beluga sands. In preparation for the sidetrack, the division said Hilcorp "completed flowline, separator, production header, and produced water header work."
The company also did a workover on PCU-02 in preparation for drilling the sidetrack and expanded the existing Pretty Creek Pad in preparation for 2025 drilling activities.
For the 2025 POD period, Hilcorp's plans include:
*Construction of the new Diamond Pad to the north of the existing Pretty Creek Pad, and a road to the new pad;
*Drilling two exploration/delineation wells from the new pad to test sand presence and hydrocarbon charge;
*Drilling one development well from the existing Pretty Creek Pad, targeting Sterling and Beluga sands;
*Installation of flowlines, line heaters, separators, production headers, glycol dehydration, produced water tanks, microturbine generators and a compressor to support drilling activities; and
*Evaluating work on existing wells to maintain and increase productivity, including up-hole recompletes, perforation adds and rig workovers.
Ivan River The Ivan River unit was formed in 1967 by Standard Oil Company of California; Hilcorp took over as operator from Union Oil Company of California Jan. 1, 2012. The unit currently has 2,295.34 acres.
The field averaged 1,178 mcf per day in March according to AOGCC production data.
During the 2024 POD, Hilcorp did a rig workover, coil cleanout and perforations on IRU 44-36 and coil cleanouts and perforations on IRU 11-06 and IRU 241-01. The company began work on a pad expansion required for a grassroots well, work which will continue into the 2025 POD.
For the 2025 POD, Hilcorp's plans include:
*Evaluation of well recompletions, perforation adds and rig workovers;
*Review and evaluate delineation well opportunities in the Sterling-Beluga and Tyonek participating areas;
*Conduct pad and facility work to support drilling efforts for a potential 2026 POD grassroots well;
*Install piping and infrastructure for the produced water building;
*Do well tie in and pad expansion contingent on 2026 well planning and regulatory approval planning; and
*Do necessary routine repairs and replacement of facilities.
Lewis River The Lewis River unit was formed in 1977 by Cities Service Oil Co. Hilcorp took over as operator from Union Oil Company of California Jan. 1, 2012. The unit currently has 620 acres.
AOGCC data show Lewis River averaged 2,470 mcf per day in March.
The division said Hilcorp did not do any well work or workovers during the 2024 POD period, but did add perforations to two wells. The company had planned to install a coalescer but deferred the project to the 2025 POD.
2025 POD period plans include:
*Evaluation of potential coil cleanout operations and additional Sterling or Beluga perforations; and
*Installation of additional compression at the Lewis River Pad and a coalescer for the existing compressor.
--KRISTEN NELSON
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