AOGCC approves Raven oil pool expansion

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission has approved a request by operator Hilcorp North Slope to expand the area definition of the Raven oil pool within the Prudhoe Bay unit.

In orders dated Jan. 14, the commission approved an extensive expansion of the Raven oil pool to the east, north and west to pursue further development of the Sag River and Ivishak formations.

Sag River is the primary target, with development expected to be by a combination of production and injection wells. Ivishak is also of interest.

The commission also expanded the affected area for the Raven oil pool area injection order.

AOGCC said Hilcorp also believes Raven oil pool expansion "and additional development drilling will allow further evaluation of sand quality and hydrocarbon presence of the Kuparuk River Formation of the overlying Niakuk Oil Pool."

The Raven oil pool is defined as the hydrocarbons "common to and correlating with the interval between log-measured depths 10,628 feet and 11,165 feet within Well NK-05," the commission said.

Raven production may be commingled on the surface with production from other pools for processing at the Lisburne Production Center prior to custody transfer.

November production data from AOGCC, the most recent available when this story was published, show Raven produced a total of 1,715 barrels for the month from a single well at the Niakuk Pad.

In its most recent Prudhoe Bay plan of development, submitted to the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas July 1 and covering Oct. 1, 2024, through Sept. 30, 2025, Hilcorp said the Raven PA was approved in December 2007 with Sag River and Ivishak production which is processed at the Lisburne Production Center.

Hilcorp said it anticipated drilling two rotary wells within the Raven PA during the 2024 POD period. Long-range activities include evaluating the development of existing tract operations and other Sag River accumulations offsetting Raven.

--KRISTEN NELSON