August ANS production down 3.8% from July

Prudhoe Bay leads July decline, down 3.6%, 17,087 bpd, but also leads 1.3% year-over-year Slope increase, with Prudhoe up 8.6%

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska North Slope production averaged 430,047 barrels per day in August, down 17,087 bpd, 3.82%, from a July average of 447,134 bpd, but up 1.28%, 5,428 bpd, from an August 2023 average of 424,619 bpd.

Crude averaged 387,824 bpd, 90.18% of Slope production, down 12,042 bpd, 3.01%, from a July average of 399,866 bpd and down 0.07% from an August 2023 average of 388,087 bpd. Natural gas liquids averaged 42,224 bpd in August, 9.82% of production, down 5,045 bpd, 10.67%, from a July average of 47,269 bpd but up 15.58% from an August 2023 average of 36,532 bpd.

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

Some increases

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

The Hilcorp Alaska-operated Point Thomson field averaged 4,228 bpd in August, up marginally, 13 bpd, 0.3%, from a July average of 4,215 bpd and up 78.89% from an August 2024 average of 2,363 bpd.

Mostly month-over-month decreases

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.

Hilcorp Alaska's Milne Point averaged 41,176 bpd in August, down 3,775 bpd, 8.4%, from a July average of 44,952 bpd and down 2.48% from an August 2023 average of 42,225 bpd.

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

ConocoPhillips' Greater Mooses Tooth, in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, averaged 11,902 bpd in August, down 2,286 bpd, 16.11%, from a July average of 14,188 bpd and down 28.75% from an August 2023 average of 16,705 bpd.

ConocoPhillips' Colville River averaged 32,136 bpd in August, down 2,279 bpd, 6.62%, from a July average of 34,415 bpd and down 1.58% from an August 2023 average of 32,651 bpd.

In addition to oil from the main Alpine pool, Colville includes production from the Nanuq and Qannik oil pools.

Hilcorp Alaska's Northstar averaged 3,996 bpd in August, down 989 bpd, 19.83%, from a July average of 4,985 bpd and down 3.59% from an August 2023 average of 4,145 bpd. Northstar crude averaged 2,269 bpd in August, 56.78% of the field's total, down 398 bpd, 14.92%, from a July average of 2,667 bpd and down 18.32% from an August 2023 average of 2,778 bpd. Northstar NGLs averaged 1,727 bpd in August, 43.22% of the total, down 591 bpd, 25.49%, from a July average of 2,318 bpd but up 26.34% from an August 2023 average of 1,367 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska-operated Endicott averaged 5,060 bpd in August, down 738 bpd, 12.73%, from a July average of 5,798 bpd and down 21.74% from an August 2023 average of 6,466 bpd. Endicott crude averaged 4,713 bpd in August, 93.14% of the field's total, down 582 bpd, 10.99%, from a July average of 5,295 bpd and down 19.41% from an August 2023 average of 5,848 bpd. Endicott NGLs averaged 347 bpd in August, 6.86% of the total, down 156 bpd, 31.02%, from a July average of 504 bpd and down 43.83% from an August 2023 average of 618 bpd.

Eni's Nikaitchuq averaged 13,951 bpd in August, down 573 bpd, 3.94%, from a July average of 14,524 bpd and down 15.18% from an August 2023 average of 16,448 bpd.

Eni's Oooguruk averaged 5,421 bpd in August, down 266 bpd, 4.68%, from a July average of 5,687 bpd and down 7.5% from an August 2023 average of 5,861 bpd.

Savant's Badami averaged 818 bpd in August, down 17 bpd, 2%, from a July average of 834 bpd and down 13.42% from an August 2023 average of 944 bpd. Savant is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Cook Inlet crude up 4.7%

The largest per-barrel increase month-over-month and year-over-year was from Hilcorp Alaska's McArthur River field which averaged 2,392 bpd in August, up 16.13%, 332 bpd, from a July average of 2,059 bpd, and up 20.47% from an August 2023 average of 1,985 bpd.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 958 bpd in August, up 119 bpd, 14.13%, from a July average of 839 bpd and up 32.21% from an August 2023 average of 724 bpd. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 595 bpd in August, up 91 bpd, 18.02%, from a July average of 505 bpd and up 108.02% from an August 2023 average of 286 bpd.

Production from Hilcorp's Granite Point was unchanged, averaging 2,037 bpd in August, the same as July, but down 7.73% from an August 2023 average of 2,208 bpd.

All other Cook Inlet fields had month-over-month reductions in production.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 787 bpd in August, down 135 bpd, 14.65%, from a July average of 922 bpd and down 15.61% from an August 2023 average of 933 bpd.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 729 bpd in August (90% crude and 10% NGLs), down 15 bpd, 1.96%, from a July average of 744 bpd but up 5.54% from an August 2023 average of 691 bpd.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 242 bpd in August, down 12 bpd, 4.7%, from a July average of 254 bpd and down 22% from an August 2023 average of 310 bpd.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 643 bpd in August, down 7 bpd, 1.02%, from a July average of 649 bpd, and down 8.56% from an August 2023 average of 703 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 natural gas down just 0.11%

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.

Six large fields accounted for 80.67% of Cook Inlet natural gas production in August.

Beluga River, operated by Hilcorp Alaska on behalf of itself and Chugach Electric Association, which holds a two-thirds working interest ownership in the field, averaged 42,771 mcf per day in August, 22.87% of inlet production, up 3,060 mcf per day, 7.71%, from a July average of 39,711 mcf per day, and up 25.17% from an August 2023 average of 34,171 mcf per day.

Hilcorp Alaska's North Cook Inlet averaged 38,510 mcf per day in August, 20.59% of inlet production, down 754 mcf per day, 1.92%, from a July average of 39,264 mcf per day but up 11.6% from an August 2023 average of 34,508 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ninilchik averaged 29,134 mcf per day in August, 15.58% of inlet production, down 1,682 mcf per day, 5.46%, from a July average of 30,816 mcf per day and down 25.64% from an August 2023 average of 39,181 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Kenai gas field averaged 19,292 mcf per day in August, 10.31% of inlet production, down 504 mcf per day, 2.55%, from a July average of 19,796 mcf pr day and down 0.59% from an August 2023 average of 19,406 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 11,438 mcf per day in August, 6.12% of inlet production, up 156 mcf per day, 1.38%, from a July average of 11,283 mcf per day but down 13.57% from an August 2023 average of 13,234 mcf per day.

Furie's Kitchen Lights averaged 9,745 mcf per day in August, 5.21% of inlet production, down 78 mcf per day, 0.79%, from a July average of 9,823 mcf per day and down 3.41% from an August 2023 average of 10,089 mcf per day.

Volumes from the 15 smaller fields accounted for a total of 19.33% of inlet production in August.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 7,530 mcf per day in August, up 2,700 mcf per day, 55.92%, from a July average of 4,829 mcf per day but down 15.51% from an August 2023 average of 8,912 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 4,941 mcf per day in August, down 154 mcf per day, 3.02%, from a July average of 5,095 mcf per day and down 4.81% from an August 2023 average of 5,191 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 4,525 mcf per day in August, down 3,500 mcf per day, 43.61%, from a July average of 8,024 mcf per day and down 14.87% from an August 2023 average of 5,315 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 3,450 mcf per day in August, down 545 mcf per day, 13.65%, from a July average of 3,996 mcf per day but up 893.65% from an August 2023 average of 347 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 3,320 mcf per day in August, up 1,459 mcf per day, 78.36%, from a July average of 1,862 mcf per day, but down 41.9% from an August 2023 average of 5,715 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 3,215 mcf per day in August, down 73 mcf per day, 2.22%, from a July average of 3,288 mcf per day, and down 10.26% from an August 2023 average of 3,582 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 3,043 mcf per day in August, down 52 mcf per day, 1.67%, from a July average of 3,095 mcf per day and down 7.91% from an August 2023 average of 3,304 mcf per day.

AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 1,823 mcf per day in August, up 14 mcf per day, 0.75%, from a July average of 1,810 mcf per day and up 31.39% from an August 2023 average of 1,388 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,814 mcf per day in August, up 9 mcf per day, 0.51%, from a July average of 1,805 mcf per day but down 13.3% from an August 2023 average of 2,093 mcf per day.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 978 mcf per day in August, down 75 mcf per day, 7.11%, from a July average of 1,053 mcf per day and down 2.68% from an August 2023 average of 1,005 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 705 mcf per day in August, down 68 mcf per day, 8.8%, from a July average of 773 mcf per day and down 46.48% from an August 2023 average of 1,318 mcf per day.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 260 mcf per day in August, down 39 mcf per day, 12.96% from a July average of 299 mcf per day and down 26.32% from an August 2023 average of 353 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 214 mcf per day in August, down 25 mcf per day, 10.65%, from a July average of 239 mcf per day but up 24.12% from an August 2023 average of 172 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 210 mcf per day in August, down 28 mcf per day, 11.91%, from a July average of 238 mcf per day and down 10.04% from an August 2023 average of 233 mcf per day.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 130 mcf per day in August, down 20 mcf per day, 13.56%, from a July average of 150 mcf per day, but up 91.18% from an August 2023 average of 68 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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