Sidebar: Cook Inlet gas production up 0.9%

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Cook Inlet natural gas production averaged 203,995 thousand cubic feet per day in May, up 1,733 mcf per day, 0.9%, from an April average of 202,262 mcf per day and up 1.6% from a May 2023 average of 200,719 mcf per day.

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 basin's production is dominated by large fields, with 84.2% of May volumes coming from the seven largest fields and 14 smaller fields with production in the month contributing a combined 15.8%.

The Hilcorp Alaska-operated Beluga River gas field averaged 44,168 mcf per day in May, 21.7% of inlet production, down 434 mcf per day, 1%, from an April average of 44,602 mcf per day but up 35.6% from a May 2023 average of 32,573 mcf per day. In May 2023 there were 16 wells producing at the field, and only one well with production of more than 100,000 mcf for the month; in May 2024 there were 21 producing wells and three had production of more than 100,000 mcf for the month. Chugach Electric Association is the majority working interest owner at Beluga.

Hilcorp's North Cook Inlet gas field averaged 40,039 mcf per day in May, 19.6% of inlet production, down 672 mcf per day, 1.7%, from an April average of 40,711 mcf per day but up 6.3% from a May 2023 average of 37,665 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ninilchik gas field averaged 33,252 mcf per day in May, 16.3% of inlet production, down 1,198 mcf per day, 3.5%, from an April average of 34,451 mcf per day and down 15.1% from a May 2023 average of 39,167 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Kenai gas field averaged 20,991 mcf per day in May, 10.3% of inlet production, up 2,399 mcf per day, 12.9%, from an April average of 18,592 mcf per day and up 4.8% from a May 2023 average of 20,024 mcf per day. In May 30 wells at the field were producing, compared to 29 in April.

Hilcorp's McArthur River, which produces both gas and oil, averaged 11,769 mcf per day in May, 5.8% of inlet production, down 223 mcf per day, 1.9%, from an April average of 11,992 bpd and down 21.7% from a May 2023 average of 25,037 mcf per day. McArthur River gas production comes primarily from the Steelhead platform, some 90%, with additional production from Grayling (some 4%), Dolly Varden (some 3%) and less than 1% each from the King Salmon and Monopod. Year-over-year, gas production is down from all five platforms.

Hilcorp's Swanson River, which produces both gas and oil, averaged 11,043 mcf per day in May, 5.4% of inlet volume, up 2,636 mcf per day, 31.4%, from an April average of 8,406 mcf per day and up 2.1% from a May 2023 average of 10,811 mcf per day. Thirty wells were in production at the field in May, up from 27 in April.

Furie's Kitchen Lights gas field averaged 10,560 mcf per day in May, 5.2% of inlet volume, down 556 mcf per day, 5%, from an April average of 11,116 mcf per day but up 2.9% from a May 2023 average of 10,260 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek is the largest of the smaller producing fields, averaging 8,505 mcf per day in May, down 1,778 mcf per day, 17.3%, from an April average but up 36.9% from a May 2023 average of 6,212 mcf per day, with a consistent number of wells producing gas -- 13 -- in all three periods.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 4,798 mcf per day in May, down 96 mcf per day, 2%, from an April average of 4,894 mcf per day and down 13.1% from a May 2023 average of 5,521 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 3,672 mcf per day in May, up 2,007 mcf per day, 120.6%, from an April average of 1,664 mcf per day and up 914.2% from a May 2023 average of 362 mcf per day. A year ago, Lewis River was producing from a single well, in April and May of this year there are two wells in production at the field, with month-over-month production increases at both.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 3,382 mcf per day in May, up 48 mcf per day, 1.4%, from an April average of 3,334 mcf per day but down 9.2% from a May 2023 average of 3,725 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 3,110 mcf per day in May, up 174 mcf per day, 5.9%, from an April average of 2,935 mcf per day but down 5% from a May 2023 average of 3,274 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 2,235 mcf per day in May, down 595 mcf per day, 21%, from an April average of 2,830 mcf per day and down 73.1% from a May 2023 average of 8,296 mcf per day. Last May there were four wells in production at Ivan River; this May there are only two.

AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 1,965 mcf per day in May, down 108 mcf per day, 5.2%, from an April average of 2,073 mcf per day and down 2.2% from a May 2023 average of 2,010 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,903 mcf per day in May, down 14 mcf per day, 0.7%, from an April average of 1,918 mcf per day and down 20% from a May 2023 average of 2,378 mcf per day. The same six wells were in production at North Fork this May and in May 2023, but production was lower at all of those wells this year.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 1,218 mcf per day in May, up 152 mcf per day, 14.2%, from an April average of 1,066 mcf per day but down 16% from a May 2023 average of 1,449 mcf per day. All gas production at Hansen is from wells designated as oil producers; the same six wells are in production this year as last, with lower volumes produced in all cases.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay, produced from the Monopod, averaged 669 mcf per day in May, down 62 mcf per day, 8.5%, from an April average of 731 mcf per day and down 47.7% from a May 2023 average of 1,278 mcf per day.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 276 mcf per day in May, up 78 mcf per day, 39.7%, from an April average of 198 mcf per day and up 3.6% from a May 202d average of 267 mcf per day. This May, this April and last May a single well, Nicolai Creek 9, was in production at the field.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 212 mcf per day in May, down 28 mcf per day from April but up 99.9 mcf per day from a May 2023 average of 106 mcf per day. This May three Sword wells at the field accounted for 43.9% of its volume, compared to 1.2% in May 2023. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 160 mcf per day in May, down 5 mcf per day, 2.8%, from an April average of 165 mcf per day but up 11.8% from a May 2023 average of 143 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 68 mcf per day in May, up 7 mcf per day, 11.5%, from an April average of 61 mcf per day and down 57.7% from a May 2023 average of 161 mcf per day. There are two wells at the field, but Red 1 was the only well producing this May and last May.

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

--Kristen Nelson