ANS production up 5.1% month over month

At 471,010 bpd, also up marginally from October 2023; biggest increases at Colville River, Prudhoe; Badami also up significantly

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Alaska North Slope production averaged 471,010 barrels per day in October, up 22,925 bpd, 5.12%, from a September average of 448,085 bpd and up marginally, 0.22%, from an October 2023 average of 469,988 bpd. ANS crude, 88.95% of the total, averaged 418,984 bpd in October, up 19,026 bpd, 4.76%, from a September average of 399,957 bpd and up 0.46% from an October 2023 average of 417,085 bpd. ANS natural gas liquids, 11.05% of the total, averaged 52,026 bpd in October, up 3,898 bpd, 8.1%, from a September average of 48,128 bpd but down 1.66% from an October 2023 average of 52,904 bpd.

North Slope Borough temperatures averaged 19.6 degrees F in October, down from an average of 35.7 degrees in September and 6.2 degrees above the 1925-2000 mean. Temperature data is from the county time series maintained by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, which has NSB temperatures beginning in 1925.

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

Increases at Colville, Prudhoe, Greater Mooses Tooth

The largest month-over-month volume increase was at ConocoPhillips Alaska's Colville River, which averaged 35,898 bpd in October, up 10,265 bpd, 40.05%, from a September average of 25,632 bpd and up 4.06% from an October 2023 average of 34,498 bpd. In addition to oil from the main Alpine pool, Colville has production from the smaller Nanuq and Qannik oil pools.

There are five drill sites at Colville, with CD4, which produces from all three pools, showing the largest month-over-month increase, accounting for more than 30% of Colville production, compared to just 18% in September, and with a single CD4 Qannik well accounting for almost 100,000 barrels over the month.

The Hilcorp North Slope-operated Prudhoe Bay unit averaged 254,596 bpd in October, up 7,793 bpd, 3.16%, from a September average of 246,803 bpd but down 1.41% from an October 2023 average of 258,228 bpd. Prudhoe crude averaged 205,580 bpd in October, 80.75% of the total, up 4,255 bpd, 2.11%, from a September average of 201,325 bpd, but down 1.49% from an October 2023 average of 208,690 bpd. Prudhoe NGLs averaged 49,016 bpd in October, 19.25% of the total, up 3,538 bpd, 7.78%, from a September average of 45,478 bpd but down 1.05% from an October 2023 average of 49,538 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's Greater Mooses Tooth in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska averaged 16,689 bpd in October, up 2,572 bpd, 18.22%, from a September average of 14,118 bpd but down 4.13% from an October 2023 average of 17,407 bpd. Greater Mooses Tooth produces from the Lookout oil pool at MT6, which accounted for just under 10% of the volume, and the Rendezvous oil pool at MT7, accounting for just over 90% of the unit's volume; there were month-over-month increases from both oil pools.

Endicott, Badami, Kuparuk

Hilcorp Alaska-operated Endicott averaged 5,434 bpd in October, up 1,266 bpd, 30.36%, from a September average of 4,168 bpd but down 7.78% from an October 2023 average of 5,892 bpd. Endicott crude averaged 4,946 bpd in October, 91.03% of the total, up 983 bpd, 24.79%, from a September average of 3,964 bpd but down 2.63% from an October 2023 average of 5,080 bpd. Endicott NGLs averaged 487 bpd in October, 8.97% of the total, up 138.4% from a September average of 204 bpd but down 39.99% from an October 2023 average of 812 bpd.

Savant Alaska's Badami had the largest month-over-month increase by percentage, averaging 3,809 bpd in October, up 1,242 bpd, 48.39%, from a September average of 2,567 bpd and up 305.71% from an October 2023 average of 939 bpd. The B1-33A well was completed in September and was in production for 18 days that month, providing the most oil of any of the Badami wells. In October, online for the full month, the well accounted for 92,650 of 118,085 barrels produced at Badami in the month. Savant is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

ConocoPhillips Alaska-operated Kuparuk River averaged 78,879 bpd in October, up 1,025 bpd, 1.32%, from a September average of 77,854 bpd but down 1.61% from an October 2023 average of 80,169 bpd. In addition to the main Kuparuk pool, Kuparuk produces from Coyote, Tabasco, Tarn, Torok and West Sak. Coyote, the newest pool to be developed at Kuparuk, averaged 3.03% of Kuparuk production in October, while Kuparuk accounted for 63.33%, West Sak for 21.05%, Torok for 6.03%, Tarn for 4.75% and Tabasco for 1.36%.

Smaller changes, up and down

Eni's Oooguruk, taken over by Hilcorp Alaska in November, averaged 6,215 bpd in October, up 265 bpd, 4.45%, from a September average of 5,950 bpd but down 4.21% from an October 2023 average of 6,488 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska's Northstar averaged 5,233 bpd in October, up 73 bpd, 1.42%, from a September average of 5,159 bpd but down 7.71% from an October 2023 average of 5,670 bpd. Northstar crude, 51.79% of the total, averaged 2,710 bpd in October, down 4 bpd, 0.15%, from a September average of 2,714 bpd and down 13.02% from an October 2023 average of 3,116 bpd. Northstar NGLs, 48.21% of the total, averaged 2,523 bpd in October, up 77 bpd, 3.16%, from a September average of 2,445 bpd but down 1.23% from an October 2023 average of 2554 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska's Milne Point averaged 46,315 bpd in October, down 911 bpd, 1.93%, from a September average of 47,226 bpd but up 11.22% from an October 2023 average of 41,644 bpd. Milne Point produces primarily from the Schrader Bluff and Kuparuk oil pools, with minor Sag River and Ugnu volumes.

Eni's Nikaitchuq, taken over by Hilcorp Alaska in November, averaged 13,308 bpd in October, down 621 bpd, 4.46%, from a September average of 13,930 bpd and down 16.89% from an October 2023 average of 16,013 bpd.

Hilcorp Alaska-operated Point Thomson averaged 4,634 bpd in October, down 44 bpd, 0.95%, from a September average of 4,678 bpd but up 52.51% from an October 2023 average of 3,038 bpd.

Cook Inlet crude up 3.07%

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 2,458 bpd in October, down 43 bpd, 1.74%, from a September average of 2,501 bod and down 8.64% from an October 2023 average of 2,690 bpd.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 2,055 bpd in October, up 95 bpd, 4.84%, from a September average of 1,960 bpd but down 6.93% from an October 2023 average of 2,208 bpd.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 934 bpd in October, up 97 bpd, 11.54%, from a September average of 837 bpd and up 0.77% from an October 2023 average of 927 bpd. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 880 bpd in October, up 82 bpd, 10.28%, from a September average of 798 bpd but down 1.24% from an October 2023 average of 891 bpd.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 692 bpd in October (90.41% crude and 9.59% NGLs), down 38 bpd, 5.23%, from a September average of 730 bpd and down 2.78% from an October 2023 average of 712 bpd.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 632 bpd in October, down 5 bpd, 0.82%, from a September average of 637 bpd and down 9.69% from an October 2023 average of 700 bpd.

Cook Inlet Energy's Redoubt Shoal averaged 587 bpd in October, up 79 bpd, 15.63%, from a September average of 508 bpd and up 14.13% from an October 2023 average of 515 bpd.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 196 bpd in October, down 15 bpd, 6.91%, from a September average of 211 bpd and down 31.58% from an October 2023 average of 287 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 1.07%

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, those accounting for 5% or more of the monthly total, accounted for 76.27% of inlet production in October.

Hilcorp's North Cook Inlet averaged 44,716 mcf per day in October, 23.6% of the inlet total, up 2,370 mcf per day, 5.6%, from a September average of 42,346 mcf per day and up 24.16% from an October 2023 average of 36,013 mcf per day.

The Hilcorp-operated Beluga River field (Chugach Electric Association holds the majority working interest ownership) averaged 43,441 mcf per day in October, 22.93% of the inlet total, up 1,484 mcf per day, 3.54%, from a September average of 41,956 mcf per day and up 10.21% from an October 2023 average of 39,415 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ninilchik averaged 26,957 mcf per day in October, 14.23% of the inlet total, down 912 mcf per day, 3.27%, from a September average of 27,869 mcf per day and down 30.66% from an October 2023 average of 38,874 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Kenai gas field averaged 18,075 mcf per day in October, 9.54% of the inlet total, up 583 mcf per day, 3.34%, from a September average of 17,492 mcf per day and down 6.63% from an October 2023 average of 19,358 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's McArthur River averaged 11,320 mcf per day in October, 5.97% of the inlet total, down 288 mcf per day, 2.48%, from a September average of 11,607 mcf per day and down 16.59% from an October 2023 average of 13,572 mcf per day.

Next in scale are fields collectively providing less than 24% of inlet gas.

Furie's Kitchen Lights averaged 9,104 mcf per day in October, 4.81% of the inlet total, down 297 mcf per day, 3.15%, from a September average of 9,400 mcf per day and down 16.99% from an October 2023 average of 10,968 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Swanson River averaged 8,731 mcf per day in October, 4.61% of the total, down 1,685 mcf per day, 16.17%, from a September average of 10,416 mcf per day but up 54.34% from an October 2023 average of 5,657 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 5,002 mcf per day, 2.64% of the total, up 324 mcf per day, 6.92%, from a September average of 4,678 mcf per day but down 59.86% from an October 2023 average of 12,461 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 4,802 mcf per day in October, 2.53% of the total, down 188 mcf per day, 3.77%, from a September average of 4,990 mcf per day and down 2.27% from an October 2023 average of 4,913 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 3,020 mcf per day in October, 1.59% of the total, up 42 mcf per day, 1.41%, from a September average of 2,978 mcf per day but down 6.4% from an October 2023 average of 3,226 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 2,822 mcf per day in October, 1.49% of the total, down 256 mcf per day, 8.31%, from a September average of 3,078 mcf per day and down 21.23% from an October 2023 average of 3,583 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 2,464 mcf per day in October, 1.3% of the total, down 544 mcf per day, 18.08%, from a September average of 3,007 mcf per day but up 8% from an October 2023 average of 2,281 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Ivan River averaged 2,428 mcf per day in October, 1.28% of the total, down 2,953 mcf per day, 54.88%, from a September average of 5,381 mcf per day and down 54.11% from an October 2023 average of 5,291 mcf per day.

AIX's Kenai Loop averaged 1,894 mcf per day in October, 1% of the total, down 101 mcf per day, 5.05%, from a September average of 1,995 mcf per day and down 14.99% from an October 2023 average of 2,228 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,772 mcf per day in October, 0.94% of the total, up 8 mcf per day, 0.45%, from a September average of 1,765 mcf per day, but down 17.54% from an October 2023 average of 2,149 mcf per day.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 1,000 mcf per day in October, 0.53% of the total, up 4 mcf per day, 0.4%, from a September average of 997 mcf per day and up 6.65% from an October 2023 average of 938 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 843 mcf per day in October, 0.45% of the total, up 192 mcf per day, 29.45%, from a September average of 651 mcf per day but down 24.98% from an October 2023 average of 1,124 mcf per day.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 498 mcf per day in October, 0.26% of the total, up 110 mcf per day, 28.23%, from a September average of 388 mcf per day and up 212.32% from an October 2023 average of 159 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's West McArthur River averaged 222 mcf per day in October, 0.12% of the total, up 8 mcf per day, 3.62%, from a September average of 214 mcf per day and unchanged from an October 2023 average of 222 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 203 mcf per day in October, 0.11% of the total, up 34 mcf per day, 20.13%, from a September average of 169 mcf per day but down 12.37% from an October 2023 average of 232 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's Redoubt Shoal averaged 143 mcf per day in October, 0.08% of the total, up 12 mcf per day, 9.6%, from a September average of 130 mcf per day and up 23.89% from an October 2023 average of 115 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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