Alaska oil production drops 6.5% in JuneReduction from May driven by trans-Alaska oil pipeline planned maintenance shutdown; May numbers up slightly from April Kristen Nelson Petroleum News Editor-in-Chief
After holding steady in May Alaska North Slope crude oil production dropped 6.5 percent in June, driven primarily by a planned 36-hour shutdown of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline for scheduled summer maintenance. All North Slope fields saw a drop in production from May to June. Prudhoe Bay, Milne Point, Alpine and Northstar all had production increases from April to May.
ANS production averaged 923,882 barrels per day in May, up marginally — 0.17 percent — from an April average of 922,307 bpd. June ANS production averaged 863,755 bpd, down 6.5 percent from May.
Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. said the June 19-June 20 shutdown allowed maintenance crews to work on projects from Prudhoe Bay to the Valdez Marine Terminal, including: installing more infrastructure at Pump Station 4 for the new electric driven pumps for the strategic reconfiguration project; replacing both pig trap launcher valves at Pump Station 4; installing a 48-inch check valve at Pump Station 7; and some 40 work tasks at other pump stations, remote valve sites and at the marine terminal. The second shutdown of the summer, July 23-24, will also last approximately 36 hours. Producers also perform North Slope maintenance during the shutdowns. Endicott has largest percentage drop The BP Exploration (Alaska)-operated Endicott field had the largest percentage drop in production in June, down 10.8 percent to 18,365 bpd. The field’s May production averaged 20,596 bpd, down just 0.95 percent from an April average of 20,793 bpd. The Alaska Department of Revenue Taxation Division said Endicott reported an injection pump problem May 7-8, and a main gas compressor shut down May 28, but listed no Endicott problems for June.
Production at the BP-operated Milne Point field (which includes Schrader Bluff) was down 9.2 percent in June, averaging 44,451 bpd, compared to 48,942 bpd in May, a 5.9 percent increase from April production averaging 46,204 bpd. Revenue listed no Milne problems in June, but said the field was shut down May 23 due to a blown turbine fuse.
BP-operated Northstar had a drop of 8.83 percent in June, averaging 59,243 bpd, compared to 64,980 bpd in May. The field’s May production was up 1.6 percent from an April average of 63,960 bpd. Revenue said Northstar shut down its gas compressor June 30 to conserve fuel. In May, a compressor shut down at the field May 8 and minor maintenance was done at the field May 15-16. Prudhoe down 33,000 bpd BP-operated Prudhoe Bay field (which includes production from the Midnight Sun, Aurora, Polaris, Borealis and Orion satellites) averaged 407,435 bpd in June, down 7.49 percent (33,000 bpd) from a May average of 440,435 bpd. May production at Prudhoe was up 1.2 percent from an April average of 435,262 bpd. Revenue listed no May events at Prudhoe, but said the field’s Central Gas Facility was shut down June 30.
Production at BP-operated Lisburne (which includes Point McIntyre and Niakuk production) averaged 42,706 bpd in June, down 6.96 percent from a May average of 45,901 bpd, a drop of 0.9 percent from an April average of 46,313 bpd.
The ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Kuparuk River field (which includes production from West Sak, Tabasco, Tarn, Meltwater and Palm) averaged 180,644 bpd in June, down 1.65 percent from a May average of 183,680 bpd. May production at the field had dropped 5 percent from an April average of 193,365 bpd.
Production at the ConocoPhillips-operated Alpine field averaged 110,911 bpd in June, down 7.1 percent from a May average of 119,348. The field’s May production was up 2.5 percent from April production of 116,410 bpd. Revenue said Alpine had an electronic breakdown May 27 and was down again May 29 for vessel maintenance. The Alpine plant went down June 8 when a wire shorted during electrical work.
The June temperature at Pump Station 1 on the North Slope averaged 38.9 degrees Fahrenheit (compared to a three-year average of 41.2 degrees F), up from a May average of 26.8 degrees F (compared to a three-year average of 26.4 degrees F). The April temperature averaged 6.6 degrees F, compared to a three-year average of 6.9 degrees F.
Cook Inlet production averaged 20,294 bpd in June, up 3.8 percent from a May average of 19,546, that down 0.9 percent from an April average of 19,715 bpd.
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