|
North Slope crude production up slightly in March; Alpine production halved briefly
March Alaska North Slope crude oil production averaged 949,624 barrels per day, up 0.6 percent from a February average of 943,766 bpd. Northstar had the largest month-to-month increase, averaging 69,484 bpd in March, up 9.6 percent over a February average of 63,418 bpd. There were no reported events affecting production at the BP Exploration (Alaska)-operated offshore field in March; in February the Alaska Department of Revenue’s Tax Division said Northstar had a master valve replacement, state safety valve testing, a low compressor shut-down and a rig move.
The other field with a substantial production gain in March was BP’s Milne Point field, which averaged 47,090 bpd in March, up 7.7 percent from a February average of 43,716 bpd. There were no reported events at Milne in March; in February there was plant compressor work at the field. Milne Point includes Schrader Bluff production.
Production at BP-operated Prudhoe Bay (including satellites Midnight Sun, Aurora, Polaris, Borealis and Orion) averaged 458,233 bpd in March, up 0.7 percent from a February average of 455,016 bpd.
The ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Alpine field averaged 119,552 bpd in March, up 0.2 percent from a February average of 119,348 bpd, in spite of a power generator shutdown on March 11 due to high winds and inlet air filter intake. The field dropped to production of only 65,330 bpd that day and only 112,696 bpd March 12. The field had production of more than 120,000 bpd the rest of the month. Other fields down in March The remainder of fields on the North Slope had lower production in March than in February.
Production at BP-operated Endicott averaged 20,253 bpd in March, down 3.8 percent from a February average of 21,043 bpd. Endicott had reduced output March 2-5 to replace a water-injection pump.
The ConocoPhillips-operated Kuparuk River field averaged 189,045 bpd in March, down 2.8 percent from a February average of 194,518 bpd. Kuparuk includes production from West Sak, Tabasco, Tarn, Meltwater and Palm.
BP-operated Lisburne (which includes Point McIntyre and Niakuk production) averaged 45,967 bpd in March, down 1.6 percent from a February average of 46,707 bpd.
The temperature at Pump Station No. 1 of the trans-Alaska pipeline averaged minus 5 degrees Fahrenheit in March, compared to minus 12 degrees F in February.
In Cook Inlet, total production from all fields averaged 19,436 bpd in March, up 2.4 percent from a February average of 18,986 bpd.
—Kristen Nelson
|
