ANS production down by 0.8% in February

Largest volume month-to-month declines at Greater Mooses Tooth, Milne, Prudhoe; biggest increases at Kuparuk River and Nikaitchuq

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska North Slope production averaged 485,263 barrels per day in February, down 0.77%, 3,759 bpd, from a January average of 489,022 bpd but up 0.7% from a February 2024 total of 481,904 bpd. Crude production, 88.59% of the total, averaged 429,900 bpd in February, down 3,258 bpd, 0.75%, from a January average of 433,158 bpd but up 1.52% from a February 2024 average of 423,459 bpd. Natural gas liquids production on the Slope, 11.41% of the total, averaged 55,363 bpd in February, down 501 bpd, 0.9%, from a January average of 55,864 bpd and down 5.27% from a February 2024 average of 58,445 bpd.

The North Slope Borough temperature averaged -6.2 degrees F in February, down from a January average of -0.8 degrees F but up 9.1 degrees F from a 1925-2000 mean of -15.3 degrees F.

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.

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

Month-over-month gains

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

ConocoPhillips is the majority working interest owner at Kuparuk. The only other WIO, ExxonMobil, holds just 0.36%.

ConocoPhillips is adding production at Kuparuk from two new areas, Coyote and Nuna, with two Coyote wells online.

The other large-volume month-over-month increase was at Nikaitchuq, which Hilcorp Alaska acquired from Eni late last year. Nikaitchuq averaged 15,239 bpd in February, up 1,010 bpd, 7.1%, from a January average of 14,229 bpd and up 11.11% from a February 2024 average of 13,716 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska's Northstar averaged 5,276 bpd in February, up 78 bpd, 1.51%, from a January average of 5,198 bpd, but down 5% from a February 2024 average of 5,496 bpd. Northstar crude, 51.12% of the field's total volume, averaged 2,697 bpd in February, down 27 bpd, 0.99%, from a January average of 2,724 bpd, and down 10.84% from a February 2024 average of 3,025 bpd. Northstar NGLs, 48.88% of the field's volume, averaged 2,579 bpd in February, up 105 bpd, 4.26%, from a January average of 2,474 bpd and up 4.37% from a February 2024 average of 2,471 bpd, when NGLs' accounted for 44.96% of Northstar volume.

Hilcorp's Endicott averaged 5,775 bpd in February, up 25 bpd, 0.43%, from a January average of 5,750 bpd, but down 7.5% from a February 2024 average of 6.243 bpd. Endicott crude averaged 5,359 bpd in February, 92.79% of the field's total, up 126 bpd, 2.4%, from a January average of 5,233 bpd but down 2.4% from a February 2024 average of 5,461 bpd. Endicott NGLs averaged 416 bpd in February, 7.21% of the field's total, down 101 bpd, 19.49%, from a January average of 517 bpd and down 46.79% from a February 2024 average of 782 bpd, when NGLs were 12.52% of the field's total volume.

Mustang Holding's Southern Miluveach averaged 12 bpd in February -- based on one day of production in the month -- up 8 bpd, 200%, from a January average of 4 bpd, also one day of production in the month. The field was not in production in 2024.

Month-over-month decreases

Hilcorp Alaska's Milne Point averaged 47,143 bpd in February, down 1,302 bpd, 2.69%, from a January average of 48,445 bpd but up 11.23% from a February 2024 average of 42,382 bpd. Milne Point produces primarily from the Schrader Bluff and Kuparuk oil pools, with minor Sag River and Ugnu volumes.

Hilcorp North Slope-operated Prudhoe Bay averaged 263,469 bpd in February, down 1,111 bpd, 0.42%, from a January average of 264,580 bpd and down 3.87% from a February 2024 average of 274,089 bpd. Prudhoe crude averaged 211,101 bpd in February, 80.12% of the total, down 605 bpd, 0.29%, from a January average of 211,706 bpd and down 3.56% from a February 2024 average of 281,898 bpd. Prudhoe NGLs averaged 52,368 bpd in February, 19.88% of the total, down 506 bpd, 0.96%, from a January average of 52,874 bpd and down 5.12% from a February 2024 average of 55,192 bpd.

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 holds 36.5% of the working interest ownership at Prudhoe; ExxonMobil Alaska Production holds 36.4%; operator Hilcorp North Slope holds 27.1%.

Savant Alaska's Badami averaged 1,483 bpd in February, down 859 bpd, 36.67%, from a January average of 2,342 bpd but up 72.34% from a February 2024 average of 861 bpd. Savant is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp-operated Point Thomson averaged 4,169 bpd in February, down 130 bpd, 3.02%, from a January average of 4,299 bpd. The field was not in production last February following pipeline issues.

Operator Hilcorp holds 36.148% of Point Thomson, with ExxonMobil Alaska Production the majority working interest owner at 61.637% and other owners collectively holding 2.215%.

ConocoPhillips' Colville River averaged 34,648 bpd in February, down 751 bpd, 2.12%, from a January average of 35,399 bpd and down 3.62% from a February 2024 average of 35,951 bpd.

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

Hilcorp Alaska's Oooguruk averaged 6,166 bpd in February, down 54 bpd, 0.87%, from a January average of 6,220 bpd but up 19.48% from a February 2024 average of 6,161 bpd.

Cook Inlet crude up 5%

The largest month-over-month increase was at Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River, which averaged 996 bpd in February, up 238 bpd, 31.42%, from a January average of 758 bpd and up 13.87% from a February 2024 average of 874 bpd. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp Alaska's McArthur River averaged 2,049 bpd in February, up 154 bpd, 8.14%, from a January average of 1,895 bpd but down 18.25% from a February 2024 average of 2,507 bpd.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 635 bpd in February, up 137 bpd, 27.4%, from a January average of 499 bpd, but down 4.07% from a February 2024 average of 662 bpd.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 756 bpd in February (689 bpd crude, 67 bpd NGLs), up 55 bpd, 7.87%, from a January average of 700 bpd but down 4.18% from a February 2024 average of 789 bpd.

The largest month-over-month decline was at Hilcorp's Granite Point, which averaged 1,857 bpd in February, down 85 bpd, 4.37%, from a January average of 1,942 bpd and down 13.21% from a February 2024 average of 2,140 bpd.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 804 bpd in February, down 77 bpd, 8.78%, from a January average of 882 bpd and down 11.67% from a February 2024 average of 911 bpd.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 525 bpd in February, down 35 bpd, 6.22%, from a January average of 559 bpd and down 23.92% from a February 2024 average of 689 bpd.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 159 bpd in February, down 13 bpd, 7.67%, from a January average of 173 bpd and down 44.86% from a February 2024 average of 289 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 2.85%

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.

There are currently 22 fields in Cook Inlet producing natural gas, with the majority of that gas coming from the seven largest fields, which in February accounted for 87.31% of inlet natural gas production, an average of 168,121 mcf per day.

The Hilcorp-operated Beluga River field, in which Chugach Electric Association holds the majority working interest, averaged 43,701 mcf per day in February, 22.69% of inlet production, down 195 mcf per day, 0.45%, from a January average of 43,897 mcf per day but up 8.9% from a February 2024 average of 40,130 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's North Cook Inlet averaged 42,420 mcf per day in February, 22.03% of the inlet total, up 1,659 mcf per day, 4.07%, from a January average of 40,761 mcf per day but down 6.04% from a February 2024 average of 45,148 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ninilchik averaged 26,305 mcf per day in February, 13.66% of the total, up 1,511 mcf per day, 6.09%, from a January average of 24,794 mcf per day but down 32.09% from a February 2024 average of 38,736 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Kenai field averaged 19,997 mcf per day in February, 10.38% of the total, up 1,614 mcf per day, 8.78%, from a January average of 18,383 mcf per day and up 4.77% from a February 2024 average of 19,087 mcf per day.

Furie's Kitchen Lights averaged 14,513 mcf per day in February, 7.54% of the total, up 937 mcf per day, 6.9%, and up 18.65% from a February 2024 average of 12,232 mcf per day. Furie brought a sidetrack, KLU A-1A, online in mid-December, accounting for 23.19% of the field's February production.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 10,654 mcf per day in February, 5.53% of inlet production, up 913 mcf per day, 9.37%, from a January average of 9,742 mcf per day and up 64.12% from a February 2024 average of 6,492 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 10,531 mcf per day in February, 5.47% of inlet production, down 577 mcf per day, 5.19%, from a January average of 11,108 mcf per day and down 17.4% from a February 2024 average of 12,749 mcf per day.

Fifteen smaller fields account for the remaining 12.69% of inlet production in February.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 5,375 mcf per day in February, down 192 mcf per day, 3.45%, from a January average of 5,567 mcf per day and down 45.28% from a February 2024 average of 9,823 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 2,779 mcf per day in February, down 72 mcf per day, 2.53%, from a January average of 2,851 mcf per day and down 9.96% from a February 2024 average of 3,086 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 2,629 mcf per day in February, down 55 mcf per day, 2.04%, from a January average of 2,684 mcf per day and down 22.71% from a February 2024 average of 3,402 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 2,593 mcf per day in February, down 2,185 mcf per day, 45.72%, from a January average of 4,778 mcf per day and down 49.85% from a February 2024 average of 5,172 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 2,265 mcf per day in February, down 8 mcf per day, 0.35%, from a January average of 2,273 mcf per day but up 35.04% from a February 2024 average of 1,677 mcf per day.

AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 1,844 mcf per day in February, up 263 mcf per day, 16.61%, from a January average of 1,581 mcf per day but down 14.49% from a February 2024 average of 2,156 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,704 mcf per day in February, down 10 mcf per day, 0.58%, from a January average of 1,714 mcf per day and down 14.55% from a February 2024 average of 1,995 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Pretty Creek averaged 1,596 mcf per day in February, up 1,510 mcf per day, 1,757.58%, from a January average of 86 mcf per day. Hilcorp sidetracked the single producing well at Pretty Creek. That sidetrack came online in November and had its first full month of production in February. The field was not in production in February 2024.

Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 1,485 mcf per day in February, up 341 mcf per day, 29.77%, from a January average of 1,144 mcf per day but down 22.67% from a February 2024 average of 1,920 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 752 mcf per day in February, down 3 mcf per day, 0.39%, from a January average of 755 mcf per day and down 32.29% from a February 2024 average of 1,110 mcf per day.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 561 mcf per day in February, down 83 mcf per day, 12.94%, from a January average of 644 mcf per day and down 43.61% from a February 2024 average of 995 mcf per day.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 370 mcf per day in February, down 23 mcf per day, 5.79%, from a January average of 393 mcf per day but up 201.84% from a February 2024 average of 123 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 207 mcf per day in February, up 2 mcf per day, 1.2%, from a January average of 204 mcf per day and up 4.9% from a February 2024 average of 197 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 152 mcf per day in February, down 4 mcf per day, 2.68%, from a January average of 156 mcf per day and down 6.78% from a February 2024 average of 163 mcf per day.

CIE's Redoubt Shoal averaged 134 mcf per day in February, down 1 mcf per day, 0.82%, from a January average of 136 mcf per day and down 23.58% from a February 2024 average of 176 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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