January ANS production down 1.6 percent

Alpine production continues to grow, averaging more than 67,000 barrels a day, with a peak at 86,926 barrels a day

Kristen Nelson

PNA Editor-in-Chief

Not even increasing production from Alpine stemmed a downturn in Alaska North Slope production for January, with average daily ANS production falling to 1,021,072 barrels compared to 1,037,766 barrsels a day for December, down 1.61 percent (16,694 barrels a day).

Temperatures at Prudhoe remain above the recent average, with the January temperature at Pump Station No. 1 averaging minus 4.7 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to a four-year average of minus 9.2 degrees Fahrenheit.

Production from Alpine, which came on line in mid-November, averaged 67,211 barrels a day in January, up 22.54 percent from a December average of 54,848 barrels a day. The Alaska Department of Revenue said shipping pump problems at Alpine reduced production approximately 50,000 barrels a day from the field Jan. 4-8. Alpine production reached 86,926 barrels a day on Jan. 30. Low for the month was 26,453 barrels a day on Jan. 14.

Prudhoe Bay production was down 3.89 percent from December, averaging 552,840 barrels a day in January compared to 575,204 the previous month, a drop of 22,364 barrels. The Department of Revenue said there was maintenance at the field Jan. 15-16, driving production down to 505,273 barrels on Jan. 15 and 495,368 barrels on Jan. 16.

Kuparuk River (Kuparuk, Tarn, Tabasco) production was down 3.06 percent from December, averaging 224,688 barrels a day in January compared to 231,785 barrels a day the previous month, down an average of 7,097 barrels a day.

Lisburne production (Lisburne, Point McIntyre, Niakuk) was down 0.82 percent from December to January, with production averaging 87,857 barrels a month for January, compared to 88,579 barrels a day in December, a drop averaging 722 barrels a day.

At Milne Point January production was up 1.56 percent, averaging 50,885 barrels a day, compared to 50,104 barrels a day for December, a gain of 781 barrels. At Endicott January production averaged 37,591 barrels a day, up 0.93 percent from a December average of 37,246 barrels a day, a gain of 345 barrels.

Natural gas liquids production at Prudhoe Bay was up 1.06 percent, averaging 52,615 barrels a day in January compared to 52,065 barrels a day in December, a gain of 550 barrels a day.

Cook Inlet production was down 7.27 percent in January, averaging 27,736 barrels a day, compared to 29,909 barrels a day for December, a drop of 2,173 barrels a day.