AOGCC OKs Lisburne, Prudhoe well

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has approved a request from BP Exploration (Alaska) for downhole commingling between the Lisburne and Prudhoe Bay oil pools in the PBU K-333 well.

The commission said in March 2 orders that downhole commingling between the Prudhoe oil pool and the Lisburne oil pool in the PBU K-333 well “will improve resource recovery from the Prudhoe Bay Unit by encouraging production of resources within the POP that would not be recoverable as a standalone development and by improving recovery from the LOP in the PBU K-333 well through in situ gas lift.”

The Prudhoe oil pool, “an immense oil rim overlain by a massive gas cap,” has been in production since 1977, the commission said, with numerous enhanced recovery projects underway. The Lisburne oil pool, which underlies the POP, has been in production since 1982.

The commission said the PBU K-333 well is planned to be completed in the Wahoo interval of the LOP. “It is also proposed to complete the well in the overlying POP to provide a source of in situ gas lift for the well.”

The PBU K-333 is completed in the oil rim of the LOP and the gas cap of the POP and the commission said BP has proposed allocating 100% of the oil and water production from the well to the LOP and 100% of the natural gas liquids production to the POP.

- KRISTEN NELSON