SIDEBAR: Cook Inlet natural gas up 2.38%

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

Natural gas production in Cook Inlet averaged 191,508 thousand cubic feet per day in September, up 4,459 mcf per day, 2.38%, from an August average of 187,048 mcf per day but down 1.36% from a September 2023 average of 194,146 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 largest month-over-month increase was at Hilcorp Alaska's North Cook Inlet, the most productive field in September, averaging 42,346 mcf per day, 22.11% of inlet production for the month, up 3,836 mcf per day, 9.96%, from an August average of 38,510 mcf per day and up 22.05% from a September 2023 average of 34,696 mcf per day.

Another of Hilcorp's larger fields, Swanson River, had the second-highest increase, averaging 10,416 mcf per day in September, up 2,886 mcf per day, 38.33%, from an August average of 7,530 mcf per day and up 65.34% from a September 2023 average of 6,299 mcf per day.

One of Hilcorp's smaller fields, Ivan River, averaged 5,381 mcf per day in September, up 2,061 mcf per day -- the third highest increase -- 62.07%, from an August average of 3,320 mcf per day, and up 13.34% from a September 2023 average of 4,748 mcf per day.

AIX's Kenai Loop, one of the inlet's smaller producers, averaged 1,995 mcf per day in September, up 172 mcf per day, 9.42%, from an August average of 1,823 mcf per day and up 52.16% from a September 2023 average of 1,311 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's McArthur River, another of its larger producers, averaged 11,607 mcf per day in September, up 169 mcf per day, 1.48%, from an August average of 11,438 mcf per day but down 12.63% from a September 2023 average of 13,285 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Beaver Creek averaged 4,678 mcf per day in September, up 153 mcf per day, 3.38%, from an August average of 4,525 mcf per day but down 54.88% from a September 2023 average of 10,368 mcf per day.

Amaroq's Nicolai Creek averaged 388 mcf per day in September, up 128 mcf per day, 49.43%, from an August average of 260 mcf per day and up 42.28% from a September 2023 average of 273 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Cannery Loop averaged 4,990 mcf per day in September, up 49 mcf per day, 0.98%, from an August average of 4,941 mcf per day, but down 2.15% from a September 2023 average of 5,099 mcf per day.

BlueCrest's Hansen averaged 997 mcf per day in September, up 18 mcf per day, 1.85%, from an August average of 978 mcf per day and up 3.35% from a September 2023 average of 964 mcf per day.

Cook Inlet Energy's two fields, Redoubt Shoal and West McArthur River, had flat production month to month, with Redoubt averaging 130 mcf per day in both September and August -- and in September 2023, and West McArthur River averaging 214 mcf per day in both September and August, although West McArthur was up 12.59% from a September 2023 average of 190 mcf per day. CIE is a Glacier Oil and Gas company.

The field with the largest month-over-month decline was Kenai, one of Hilcorp's large fields, which averaged 17,492 mcf per day in September, down 1,800 mcf per day, 9.33%, from an August average of 19,292 mcf per day, and down 9.92% from a September 2023 average of 19,418 mcf per day.

Another of Hilcorp's largest fields, Ninilchik, averaged 27,869 mcf per day in September, down 1,266 mcf per day, 4.34%, from an August average of 29,134 mcf per day, and down 24.36% from a September 2023 average of 36,845 mcf per day.

Hilcorp-operated Beluga River averaged 41,956 mcf per day in September, down 814 mcf per day, 1.9%, from an August average of 42,771 mcf per day, but up 8.38% from a September 2023 average of 38,714 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Lewis River averaged 3,007 mcf per day in September, down 443 mcf per day, 12.84%, from an August average of 3,450 mcf per day but up 719.14% from a September 2023 average of 367 mcf per day.

Furie's Kitchen Lights averaged 9,400 mcf per day in September, down 344 mcf per day, 3.53%, from an August average of 9,745 mcf per day and down 15.04% from a September 2023 average of 11,065 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Deep Creek averaged 3,078 mcf per day in September, down 137 mcf per day, 4.25%, from an August average of 3,215 mcf per day and down 16.46% from a September 2023 average of 3,685 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Granite Point averaged 2,978 mcf per day in September, down 65 mcf per day, 2.13%, from an August average of 3,043 mcf per day and down 5.13% from a September 2023 average of 3,139 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Trading Bay averaged 651 mcf per day in September, down 54 mcf per day, 7.64%, from an August average of 705 mcf per day and down 40.44% from a September 2023 average of 1,094 mcf per day.

Vision Operating's North Fork averaged 1,765 mcf per day in September, down 50 mcf per day, 2.74%, from an August average of 1,814 mcf per day and down 20.45% from a September 2023 average of 2,218 mcf per day.

Hilcorp's Nikolaevsk averaged 169 mcf per day in September, down 40 mcf per day, 19.28%, from an August average of 210 mcf per day an down 28.52% from a September 2023 average of 237 mcf per day.

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

--KRISTEN NELSON