'MIX' Project Will Boost Prudhoe Bay Liquids Production

abarrelfull wrote on 07 Aug 2012 09:02
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27 May 1997

A $160 million project that will add incremental production of 20,000 barrels of liquids per day and increase ultimate Prudhoe Bay liquids recovery by approximately 50 million barrels has been approved by ARCO Alaska, Inc., BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc., and Exxon Company USA for the owners of the Prudhoe Bay oil field.

Engineering is well underway, with fabrication of a 2,500-ton turbine-driven compressor module scheduled to start in 1998. The Miscible Injectant Expansion (MIX) project should be complete by late 1999.

The MIX project will increase the amount of solvent, or miscible injectant, made at Prudhoe Bay by 20%. This solvent will be available for use in the Prudhoe Bay Miscible Gas Enhanced Oil Recovery project which is already the world's largest.

The MIX project will also increase the amount of natural gas that can be produced, processed and re-injected into the Prudhoe Bay reservoir from 7.5 billion to 8 billion cubic feet per day. This increase in gas handling capacity will boost natural gas liquids production by 2,000 barrels per day and allow field operators to produce oil from a larger number of wells at any given time.

The project will require significant modification of the Prudhoe Bay Central Gas Facility to allow for installation of the 2,500-ton compressor module.

ARCO Alaska, Inc., will manage the project for the Prudhoe Bay owners. The project management team includes personnel from both ARCO and BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc.

Long lead-time components, such as the compressor train, have already been ordered.

Plans for fabrication of the 2,500-ton compressor module and associated facilities are still being worked. The module will be barged from the construction site to the North Slope, arriving in late summer 1999 when the Arctic sea ice has moved offshore.

"The Prudhoe Bay Unit Owners will work to minimize the cost and maximize the Alaska content in this project," said Kevin Meyers, senior vice president for ARCO Alaska, Incs Prudhoe Bay business unit. "Alaska-based contractors and suppliers will get this work if they are cost competitive."

• 'MIX' Project Will Boost Prudhoe Bay Liquids Production

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