Unlocking the Potential of Viscous Oil in Alaska

By

C.C. West (BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.)

A radical change in approach to development of BPXA’s huge viscous oil reserves in Alaska has taken place over the last three years. Extended reach horizontal, multilateral drilling technology is being implemented to successfully develop the West Sak and Schrader Bluff reservoirs at Kuparuk and Milne Point. The success of this application of new technology has allowed economic development of up to two billion barrels of reserves. The application of these new ideas has grown BPXA’s net production of viscous oil in Alaska from 6mbd to 13mbd today, with and additional 15mbd in the next 18 months to 40mbd+ in 2005. This revolutionary change will enable up to 500mmbo reserves bookings over the next five years with future potential of 1+ bbo. The project is as significant to the company as the discovery of a Crazy Horse, or another Kuparuk field. ACT’s viscous oil team has pioneered the development and implementation of this technology and through careful building of a sound track record the team has created a large, robust investment option from a previously uneconomic reservoir, which was formerly the largest undeveloped field in North America. Development using primarily existing infrastructure is now taking place at Milne Point Tract14, Milne Point S Pad, and the Kuparuk River Unit’s West Sak reservoir.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90008©2002 AAPG Pacific Section/SPE Western Region Joint Conference of Geoscientists and Petroleum Engineers, Anchorage, Alaska, May 18–23, 2002.