Sidebar: Inlet natural gas up 4.5%

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Natural gas production from Cook Inlet averaged 202,795 thousand cubic feet per day in October, up 8,648 mcf per day, 4.5%, from a September average of 194,146 mcf per day but down 7.3% from an October 2022 average of 218,828 mcf per day.

Volumes are calculated from Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission data which is reported on a month-delay basis. For natural gas AOGCC reports measurements in thousands of cubic feet, mcf.

Seven fields, each with 5% or more of the total volume, represent 84.2% of October production, 170,661 mcf per day: Beluga River, Ninilchik, North Cook Inlet, Kenai, McArthur River, Beaver Creek and Kitchen Lights.

The Hilcorp Alaska-operated Beluga River field (Chugach Electric Association is the majority working interest owner) averaged 39,415 mcf per day in October, 19.4% of inlet production, up 701 mcf per day, 1.8%, from a September average of 38,714 mcf per day, and up 20.5% from an October 2022 average of 32,699 mcf per day. Beluga River, along with Ninilchik, has seen considerable drilling over the last year, with six development wells completed and three more permitted.

Hilcorp Alaska's Ninilchik averaged 38,874 mcf per day in October, 19.2% of inlet production, up 2,029 mcf per day, 5.5%, from a September average of 36,845 mcf per day, but down 0.3% from an October 2022 average of 38,979 mcf per day. Hilcorp has completed three development wells at Ninilchik in the last year, two from the Pearl pad and one from Paxton, and has permitted an exploration well, Pearl 8.

Hilcorp's North Cook Inlet averaged 36,013 mcf per day in October, 17.8% of inlet production, up 1,317 mcf per day, 3.8%, from a September average of 34,696 mcf per day, but down 17.3% from an October 2022 average of 43,548 mcf per day. Hilcorp has completed one development well at North Cook Inlet in the last year, with three more permitted.

Hilcorp's Kenai gas field averaged 19,358 mcf per day in October, 9.6% of inlet production, down 60 mcf per day, 0.3%, from a September average of 19,418 mcf per day and down 18.6% from an October 2022 average of 23,789 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 13,572 mcf per day in October, 6.7% of inlet production, up 286 mcf per day, 2.2%, from a September average of 13,285 mcf per day, but down 21.5% from an October 2022 average of 17,277 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 12,461 mcf per day in October, 6.1% of inlet production, up 2,094 mcf per day, 20.2%, from a September average of 10,368 mcf per day and up 13.6% from an October 2022 average of 10,969 mcf per day. Hilcorp completed one development well at Beaver Creek over the year.

Furie's Kitchen Lights averaged 10,968 mcf per day in October, 5.4% of inlet production, down 97 mcf per day, 0.9%, from a September average of 11,065 mcf per day and down 3.5% from an October 2022 average of 11,362 mcf per day.

Fifteen smaller producing fields accounted for just over 15% of inlet production in October.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 5,657 mcf per day in October, down 642 mcf per day, 10.2%, from a September average of 6,299 mcf per day and down 20.7% from an October 2022 average of 7,132 mcf per day. Hilcorp completed two development wells at Swanson River over the year and has another permitted.

Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 5,291 mcf per day in October, up 543 mcf per day, 11.4%, from a September average of 4,748 mcf per day, but down 42% from an October 2022 average of 9,121 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 4,913 mcf per day in October, down 186 mcf per day from a September average of 5,099 mcf per day and down 3.7% from an October 2022 average of 5,931 mcf per day. Hilcorp completed two development wells at Cannery Loop over the year.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 3,583 mcf per day in October, down 102 mcf per day, 2.8%, from a September average of 3,685 mcf per day and down 13.8% from an October 2022 average of 4,156 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 3,226 mcf per day in October, up 87 mcf per day, 2.8%, from a September average of 3,139 mcf per day, but down 6% from an October 2022 average of 3,434 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 2,281 mcf per day in October, up 1,914 mcf per day, 521.4%, from a September average of 367 mcf per day and up 292.3% from an October 2022 average of 581 mcf per day. Hilcorp completed one development well at Lewis River over the year.

AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 2,228 mcf per day in October, up 917 mcf per day, 69.9%, from a September average of 1,311 mcf per day, but down 37.5% from an October 2022 average of 3,565 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 2,149 mcf per day in October, down 69 mcf per day, 3.1%, from a September average of 2,218 mcf per day and down 31.2% from an October 2022 average of 3,126 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 1,124 mcf per day in October, up 30 mcf per day, 2.8%, from a September average of 1,094 mcf per day and up 3.2% from an October 2022 average of 1,089 mcf per day. Hilcorp completed one development well at Trading Bay over the year.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 938 mcf per day in October, down 26 mcf per day, 2.7%, from a September average of 964 mcf per day and down 26.5% from an October 2022 average of 1,276 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 232 mcf per day in October, down 5 mcf per day, 2%, from a September average of 237 mcf per day and down 7.5% from an October 2022 average of 251 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 222 mcf per day in October, up 32 mcf per day, 16.7%, from a September average of 190 mcf per day and up 147.5% from an October 2022 average of 90 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged1 159 mcf per day in October, down 114 mcf per day, 41.6%, from a September average of 273 mcf per day, and down 46.9% from an October 2022 average of 300 mcf per day.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 115 mcf per day in October, down 15 mcf per day, 11.3%, from a September average of 130 mcf per day and down 25.6% from an October 2022 average of 155 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Pretty Creek averaged 14 mcf per day in October, up 13 mcf per day from an average of 1 mcf per day in September; the field had no production in October 2022.

Cook Inlet natural gas production peaked in the mid-1990s at more than 850,000 mcf per day.

--KRISTEN NELSON