|
|
Web posted
Sunday, January 15, 2006
North Slope oil production continues gradual decline
By Tim Bradner
Alaska Journal of Commerce
|
|
Oil production continues to decline in the giant Prudhoe Bay oil fields (seen above), as is the case with most fields on the North Slope. Production numbers for 2005 were down a little more than 1 percent compared to 2004 numbers.
ARCHIVE PHOTO/Rob Stapleton/AJOC | |
|
Alaska North Slope oil production declined 1.03 percent in 2005 compared to 2004, according to the Alaska Department of Revenue. Total production, including black crude oil as well as natural gas liquids, averaged 924,000 barrels per day last year compared to an average of 936,000 barrels daily in 2004.
A month-to-month comparison between December 2004 and 2005, however, showed a more drastic decline. Production averaged 859,838 barrels per day during the month, down from 929,000 barrels per day in December 2004, the department said.
Cook Inlet oil production averaged 18,893 barrels per day during December, down from 19,331 barrels per day in December 2004.
All fields on the North Slope, except the Alpine field, showed decreases in production during December, some of them substantial. Two fields, the Prudhoe Bay and the Endicott fields, showed more gradual decreases.
Prudhoe produced an average of 400,965 barrels daily in December, down from 409,770 barrels daily in the same month of 2004. Endicott produced an average 21,072 barrels daily in December, down from 21,262 barrels per day in December 2004.
The more gradual decline of the Prudhoe field mainly reflects the productivity of small satellite pools adjacent to the main field. The satellites process and transport crude oil through the infrastructure of the main field. While production of the main Prudhoe field has been declining, increases in output from the satellites have helped dampen the decline.
Production declines in other fields were more rapid. Kuparuk field production in December averaged 169,348 barrels per day, down from 198,969 barrels per day in the same month of 2004. Greater Point McIntyre, a production unit that combines several small fields, averaged 38,894 barrels per day in December, down from a 55,994 barrel-per-day average in December 2004. The Milne Point field produced an average of 44,659 barrels per day in December, down from 52,411 barrels per day in December 2004. The Northstar field declined to an average of 54,990 barrels per day in December 2005, down from 74,374 barrels per day average in the same month a year earlier.
Only the Alpine field showed an increase, averaging 129,910 barrels per day in December 2005 compared with 115,923 in December 2004. The increase reflects expanded capacity of the Alpine field processing plant, which allows Alpine's producing wells to flow at higher rates.
Tim Bradner can be reached at tim.bradner@alaskajournal.com.
|
|
