The latest North Slope and Cook Inlet oil and gas activity maps were recently posted on the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas website (see maps in pdf and print versions of this story).
Both maps are dated December 2023 but were released in January 2024 in legislative hearings.
The last time the division released activity maps was in June 2023.
Both the December 2023 Cook Inlet and North Slope maps are very detailed, including such things as unit boundaries, prospects, planned early 2024 exploration wells, seismic programs and releases, development projects, and many geographical elements.
Both maps also include the locations of all exploration wells drilled in 2021, 2022 and 2023 on the North Slope and in the Cook Inlet basin.
North Slope
Per the North Slope activity map, active oil and gas companies on the North Slope include 88 Energy/Accumulate Energy, Balcony, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Finnex, Great Bear, Hilcorp, Santos and Savant.
The activity described on the North Slope map includes state of Alaska land, federal land, including the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska and disputed lands, and Native Alaska lands, as well as projects on combined land.
Some of the December 2023 North Slope maps highlights include the following:
* Santos drilled five wells as part of the Pikka phase 1 project targeting the Nanushuk reservoir with expected oil production starting in early 2026.
*AIDEA closed on sale of Mustang field to Finnex Operating, LLC on Oct. 27, 2023.
*Mustang Holding LLC received approval for 10th POD to transition out of cold shut-down and target resumed production by late 2024.
* ConocoPhillips Alaska received approval to expand Kuparuk River Unit drill site 3S and drill 16 new wells targeting the Coyote Nanushuk formation.
*Savant Alaska LLC received approval from the division to drill Kennicott B1-33 exploration well on the Badami Main Pad beginning Jan. 20, 2024.
*Balcony Natural Resources Inc. received approval for the Grey Owl Unit. The 5-year plan includes drilling at least one exploration appraisal well during the winter of 2026-27.
* Lagniappe Alaska LLC received approval from the division to drill King Street-1, Voodoo-1, and Sockeye-1 exploration wells beginning Jan. 1, 2024, as part of their two-year, six-well exploration program.
*ConocoPhillips Alaska announced final investment decision approving the Willow project and funding for construction needed to reach first oil.
*International Hydrates Test Project completed two monitoring and two production wells. Long term test operations began Oct. 24, 2023.
*Accumulate Energy Alaska Inc. received approval to frac and flow test the Hickory 1 well in the Toolik River Unit beginning January 2024.
*Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys released Umiat 3D reprocessing in December 2023. Available for purchase at: https://dggs.alaska.gov/gmc/seismic-order.html.
Cook Inlet
Following are a few of the highlights in the December 2023 Cook Inlet map:
*Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys released Iniskin 2D, Ninilchik 3D (R6), and Deep Creek 3D December 2023. Available for purchase at: https://dggs.alaska.gov/gmc/seismic-order.html.
*Hilcorp Alaska LLC received approval from the division to drill an exploration well on the Whiskey Gulch Pad in January 2024. The well will target unproved oil or gas reserves in the Sterling, Beluga and Tyonek formations and be tested for 30 days before suspension.
*Furie Operating Alaska LLC received approval in part for the formation of the Sterling Participating Area and the Beluga Participating Area in the Kitchen Lights Unit.
*BlueCrest Alaska Operating LLC plans to maintain production during the 2024 plan of development and commits to drill one oil well in 2025. Gas production is expected in the second quarter of 2027.
*Hilcorp Alaska LLC acquired permission to conduct 21.3-line miles of marine seismic west of Ninilchik within the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Acquisition of four lines completed October 2023.
*Cook Inlet Natural Gas Storage Alaska LLC prepared to expand CINGSA by drilling two new wells.
*Hilcorp Alaska LLC gained approval in part for the formation of the Pearl Participating Area and the expansion of the Ninilchik Unit.
*Hilcorp Alaska LLC was approved for a 10-year term easement to study the feasibility of producing natural gas from the Baker platform. Additionally, nearby infrastructure will be utilized for alternative energy projects such as tidal energy, wind energy, and carbon capture, utilization, and storage in the former Middle Ground Shoal Unit.
--KAY CASHMAN
