November ANS volume up 3.24% from October

Combined crude, NGLs averaged 486,248 bpd, up by 15,238 bpd from 471,010 bpd in October, up 3.18% from 471,245 bpd last November

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska North Slope production averaged 486,248 barrels per day in November, up 15,238 bpd, 3.24%, from an October average of 471,010 bpd and up 3.18% from a November 2023 average of 471,245 bpd. The largest month-over-month increase was at Prudhoe Bay, with Kuparuk, Nikaitchuq and Milne Point also seeing increases.

ANS crude averaged 430,607 bpd in November, 88.56% of the total volume, up 11,623 bpd, 2.77%, from an October average of 418,984 bpd and up 2.83% from a November 2023 average of 418,761 bpd. Natural gas liquids averaged 55,641 bpd, 11.44% of the total volume, up 3,615 bpd, 6.95%, from an October average of 52,026 bpd and up 6.02% from a November 2023 average of 52,483 bpd. NGLs come from Endicott, Northstar and Prudhoe Bay.

Temperatures in the North Slope Borough averaged 5.4 degrees F in November, down from 19.6 degrees in October, and up 7.6 degrees from a 1925-2000 mean of -2.2 degrees F.

Production data come from the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission which reports production by field and well on a month delay basis.

Temperature data are from the county time series maintained by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, which has North Slope Borough temperatures beginning in 1925.

Month-over-month gains

In addition to the primary reservoir, production volumes from Prudhoe include Aurora, Borealis, Lisburne, Midnight Sun, Niakuk, Polaris, Point McIntyre, Put River, Raven and Schrader Bluff.

ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Kuparuk River averaged 81,530 bpd in November, up 2,651 bpd 3.36%, from an October average of 78,879 bpd and up 2.84% from a November 2023 average of 79,275 bpd. ConocoPhillips is the majority working interest owner at Kuparuk. The only other remaining WIO, ExxonMobil, holds just 0.36%; in October ConocoPhillips said it had bought out a 4.95% WIO previously held by Chevron at Kuparuk, with closing expected by the end of the year.

In addition to the main Kuparuk pool, Kuparuk produces from Coyote, Tabasco, Tarn, Torok and West Sak.

Hilcorp Alaska's Nikaitchuq averaged 14,467 bpd in November, up 1,159 bpd, 8.71%, from an October average of 13,308 bpd but down 5.53% from a November 2023 average of 15,314 bpd. Hilcorp took over ownership of the field from Eni in October.

Hilcorp Alaska's Milne Point averaged 47,465 bpd in November, up 1,150 bpd, 2.48%, from an October average of 46,315 bpd and up 9.34% from a November 2023 average of 43,410 bpd.

Hilcorp has been growing Milne production since it took over a 50% working interest from BP Exploration (Alaska) and became operator in 2014. In 2020 Hilcorp acquired the remaining 50% WIO at Milne when it acquired BP's remaining assets in Alaska.

Milne Point produces primarily from the Schrader Bluff and Kuparuk oil pools, with minor Sag River and Ugnu volumes.

There were smaller month-over-month increases at Endicott and Northstar.

Hilcorp Alaska-operated Endicott averaged 5,625 bpd in November, up 191 bpd from an October average of 5,434 bpd, 3.51%, but down 12.95% from a November 2023 average of 6,461 bpd. Endicott crude averaged 5,133 bpd, 91.27% of the total, up 187 bpd, 3.78%, from an October average of 4,946 bpd but down 6.47% from a November 2023 average of 5,488 bpd. Endicott NGLs averaged 491 bpd in November, 8.73% of the total, up 4 bpd, 0.78%, from an October average of 487 bpd but down 49.5% from a November 2023 average of 973 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska's Northstar averaged 5,335 bpd in November, up 102 bpd, 1.94%, from an October average of 5,233 bpd, but down 6.78% from a November 2023 average of 5,722 bpd. Northstar crude averaged 2,691 bpd in November, 50.44% of the total, down 19 bpd, 0.71% from an October average of 2,710 bpd and down 13.19% from a November 2023 average of 3,100 bpd. Northstar NGLs averaged 2,644 bpd in November, 49.56% of the total, up 121 bpd, 4.8%, from an October average of 2,523 bpd and up 0.81% from a November 2023 average of 2,622 bpd.

Month-over-month declines

Savant Alaska's Badami averaged 3,257 bpd in November, down 553 bpd, 14.51%, from an October average of 3,809 but, but up 254.9% from a November 2023 average of 918 bpd. The largest month-over-month decrease at Badami was from the Badami B1-33A, which produced 92,650 barrels in October, dropping to a total of 73,626 barrels in October. Savant is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp-operated Point Thomson averaged 4,342 bpd in November, down 292 bpd, 6.31%, from an October average of 4,634 bpd but up 25.99% from a November 2023 average of 3,446 bpd.

ConocoPhillips' Colville River averaged 35,657 bpd in November, down 240 bpd, 0.67%, from an October average of 35,898 bpd but up 14.98% from a November 2023 average of 31,012 bpd. In addition to oil from the main Alpine pool, Colville includes production from the Nanuq and Qannik oil pools.

ConocoPhillips' Greater Mooses Tooth averaged 16,484 bpd in November, down 205 bpd, 1.23%, from an October average of 16,689 bpd but up 9.84% from a November 2023 average of 15,008 bpd.

At Oooguruk, which Hilcorp acquired from Eni in October, production averaged 6,121 bpd in November, down 94 bpd, 1.15%, from a November average of 6,215 bpd and down 0.63% from a November 2023 average of 6,160 bpd.

Cook Inlet crude down 3.55%

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 745 bpd in November (662 bpd of crude and 83 bpd of NGLs), up 53 bpd, 7.67%, from an October average of 692 and up 2.1% from a November 2023 average of 730 bpd.

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 2,461 bpd in November, up 3 bpd, 0.14%, from an October average of 2,458 bpd but down 8.9% from a November 2023 average of 2,702 bpd.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 883 bpd in November, up 3 bpd, 0.32%, from an October average of 880 bpd but down 3.57% from a November 2023 average of 915 bpd.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 634 bpd in November, up 2 bpd 0.32%, from an October average of 632 but down 9.41% from a November 2023 average of 700 bpd.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River average 751 bpd in November, down 183 bpd, 19.6%, from an October average of 934 bpd and down 30.7% from a November 2023 average of 1,084 bpd. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 487 bpd in November, down 101 bpd, 17.18%, from an October average of 587 bpd and down 8.03% from a November 2023 average of 529 bpd.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 1,982 bpd in November, down 73 bpd, 3.54%, from an October average of 2,055 bpd and down 10.07% from a November 2023 average of 2,204 bpd.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 192 bpd in November, down 4 bpd, 2.05%, from an October average of 196 bpd and down 38.49% from a November 2023 average of 313 bpd.

ANS crude oil production peaked in 1988 at 2.1 million bpd; Cook Inlet crude oil production peaked in 1970 at more than 227,000 bpd.

Cook Inlet gas up marginally

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

The five largest Cook Inlet gas fields accounted for 77.8% of November production.

Hilcorp's North Cook Inlet averaged 46,783 mcf per day, 24.58% of the total, up 2,067 mcf per day, 4.62%, from an October average of 44,716 mcf per day and up 34.93% from a November 2023 average of 34,672 mcf per day.

Hilcorp-operated Beluga River (Chugach Electric Association is the majority working interest owner at Beluga) averaged 46,014 mcf per day in November, 24.18% of the inlet total, up 2,573 mcf per day, 5.92%, from an October average of 43,441 mcf per day and up 17.21% from a November 2023 average of 39,258 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ninilchik averaged 26,532 mcf per day in November, 13.94% of the total, down 425 mcf per day, 1.58%, from an October average of 26,957 mcf per day and down 31.63% from a November 2023 average of 38,805 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Kenai gas field averaged 17,934 mcf per day in November, 9.42% of the total, down 141 mcf per day, 0.78%, from an October average of 18,075 mcf per day and down 4.74% from a November 2023 average of 18,827 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 10,807 mcf per day in November, 5.68% of the total, down 513 mcf per day, 4.53%, from an October average of 11,302 mcf per day and down 20.19% from a November 2023 average of 13,542 mcf per day.

The remaining 17 fields accounted for a combined 22.2% of inlet production, in percentages ranging from 4.62% to 0.07%.

Furie's Kitchen Lights averaged 8,792 mcf per day in November, down 312 mcf per day, 3.43%, from an October average of 9,104 mcf per day and down 14.46% from a November 2023 average of 10,278 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 7,407 mcf per day, down 1,324 mcf per day, 15.16%, from an October average of 8,731 mcf per day but up 82.26% from a November 2023 average of 4,064 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 4,798 mcf per day in November, down 4 mcf per day, 0.08%, from an October average of 4,802 mcf per day and down 5.81% from a November 2023 average of 5,094 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 4,446 mcf per day in November, down 556 mcf per day, 11.12%, from an October average of 5,002 mcf per day and down 59.55% from a November 2023 average of 10,991 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 2,947 mcf per day in November, down 72 mcf per day, 2.4%, from an October average of 3,020 mcf per day and down 11.72% from a November 2023 average of 3,339 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 2,922 mcf per day in November, up 459 mcf per day, 18.62%, from an October average of 2,464 mcf per day and up 53.54% from a November 2023 average of 1,903 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 2,808 mcf per day in November, down 14 mcf per day, 0.5%, from an October average of 2,822 mcf per day and down 21.72% from a November 2023 average of 3,587 mcf per day.

AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 1,907 mcf per day in November, up 12 mcf per day, 0.64%, from an October average of 1,894 mcf per day but down 14.46% from a November 2023 average of 2,229 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,748 mcf per day in November, down 25 mcf per day, 1.38%, from an October average of 1,772 mcf per day and down 15.93% from a November 2023 average of 2,079 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 1,131 mcf per day in November, down 1,297 mcf per day, 53.41%, from an October average of 2,428 mcf per day and down 70.38% from a November 2023 average of 3,820 mcf per day.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 986 mcf per day in November, down 15 mcf per day, 1.46%, from an October average of 1,000 mcf per day and down 9.03% from a November 2023 average of 1,084 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 840 mcf per day in November, down 3 mcf per day, 0.36%, from an October average of 843 mcf per day and down 26.25% from a November 2023 average of 1,139 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Pretty Creek averaged 483 mcf per day in November, after showing no production in October, and was up 2440.7% from a November 2023 average of 19 mcf per day.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 444 mcf per day in November, down 54 mcf per day, 10.93%, from an October average of 498 mcf per day and up 195.91% from a November 2023 average of 150 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 244 mcf per day in November, up 21 mcf per day, 9.67% from an October average of 222 mcf per day but down 8.65% from a November 2023 average of 267 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 197 mcf per day in November, down 6 mcf per day, 3.06%, from an October average of 203 mcf per day and down 3.6% from a November 2023 average of 205 mcf per day.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 141 mcf per day in November, down 2 mcf per day, 0.99%, from an October average of 143 mcf per day but up 5.27% from a November 2023 average of 134 mcf per day.

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

--KRISTEN NELSON

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