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PODs filed for Duck Island, Northstar
Operator Hilcorp holds Duck Island production steady without planned workovers; Northstar plans include confirming Kuparuk oil rim Kristen Nelson Petroleum News
Hilcorp Alaska, operator of Duck Island and Northstar, submitted annual plans of development to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Oil and Gas Nov. 16 for the two units, the smallest of its North Slope operated fields.
Duck Island The 39th POD for Duck Island covers Feb. 13, 2021, through Feb. 12, 2022.
Hilcorp said Duck Island production is from the Kekiktuk reservoir in the Endicott participating area; the Ivishak and Sag River reservoirs in the Eider PA; and the Sag River reservoir in the Minke tract operation.
Hilcorp has been holding DIU production fairly steady.
From Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, DIU production averaged 7,174 barrels per day, a volume which includes both black oil and natural gas liquids, the company said. In the 38th POD, submitted in November 2019, Hilcorp reported that from Jan. 1, 2019, through Sept. 30, 2019, DIU production (black oil and NGLs) averaged 7,100 bpd. The 37th POD, in November 2018, reported an average of 7,242 bpd (black oil and NGLs) from Jan. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2018.
The previous 38th POD had included plans for up to three workover operations; the company also anticipated continuing to pursue efficiencies through well optimizations, including evaluation of shut-in wells for potential return to service.
“Hilcorp did not complete any of the anticipated workover operations,” the company said in reporting on 38th DIU POD activities, “as the rig and capital allocated for those projects were diverted elsewhere.”
Non-rig well work operations to optimize wells at the DIU were completed, as was continued optimization of the water separation train.
In the 39th POD, Hilcorp said long-range activities included performing a “tracer study to understand injector/producer response to target potential future drilling targets.”
Planned well work and workover operations include converting MPI 01-25 from a producer to a gas injector; up to two additional workovers as needed; various non-rig well work operations.
Hilcorp said it plans a facility turnaround at the DIU in the summer for maintenance activities.
Northstar The 17th plan of development for Northstar covers Feb. 13, 2021, through Feb. 12, 2022.
Long-range proposed developments at Northstar include exploring the opportunity to import gas from Prudhoe Bay through the existing Northstar Island gas pipeline which runs to Northstar Island from the PBU Central Gathering Facility and confirmation of “existence of the Kuparuk oil rim” and exploring the opportunity “to target any existing reserves,” Hilcorp said.
Northstar production averaged 9,221 barrels per day of oil from Jan. 1 through Sept. 30, a volume including both black oil and natural gas liquids. The previous POD reported an average of 10,095 bpd (also black oil and NGLs combined) for Jan. 1, 2019, through Aug. 31, 2019.
There are three oil sand accumulations at the Northstar unit: Ivishak in the Northstar participating area, Ivishak in the Fido PA and Kuparuk in the Hooligan PA.
During the 16th POD, Hilcorp told the division it completed a workover at the NS-25 well. It also completed three surface facility operations: constructing an ice road for chiller module deliveries; installing support frames, setting chiller modules and installing associated chiller system piping; and commissioning the chiller for improved natural gas liquids recovery during warmer ambient temperatures.
Hilcorp said it did not acidize any Kuparuk PA producers due to undervoiding in the Kuparuk oil pool. The company said acidizing was deferred “until there is a more favorable voidage replacement ratio.”
Hilcorp did workovers on three wells: it installed a subsurface safety value on the NS-25 to increase rate; added perforations to the NS-05, “though results were minimal”; and, also with minimal results, added perforations to the NS-11.
For the 17th POD, in addition to its long-range plan for exploring importing gas from Prudhoe and the long-range plan to confirm existence of the Kuparuk oil rim, Hilcorp said it plans workover operations on the NS-20 to convert that Ivishak producer to a Kuparuk gas injector “to help offset voidage ratio in the Kuparuk horizon”; and replace corroded tubing in the NS-10.
For surface facilities work, Hilcorp said it would construct an ice road for workover operations at Northstar and plans an eight- to 10-day summer outage for maintenance.
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