Prudhoe Bay field--one year later

Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978 · Alaska Constr. Oil; (United States)

OSTI ID:6920484

Richardson, P

Crude oil has been flowing through the trans-Alaska oil pipeline for one year now and that is cause for celebration, but there is another anniversary occurring this month that is just as significant. Prudhoe Bay, the largest oil field ever discovered in North America, has been in operation for one year. The field began operating on June 20, 1977, when oil began flowing through the newly completed 800-mile oil pipeline. By April 13, 1978, the field had produced 200 million bbl of oil, more than most oil fields produce in their lifetimes, and about what the total lifetime production is expected to be from the Swanson River field (on the Kenai Peninsula). The first year of operations went relatively well for a field this size. It was a new environment for the oil industry but, in general, there were not major problems--just the normal ups and downs commonly involved in commissioning the facilities required to produce a field this large.

• OSTI ID: 6920484
• Journal Information: Alaska Constr. Oil; (United States), Journal Name: Alaska Constr. Oil; (United States) Vol. 19:6; ISSN ACOID
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
022000 -- Petroleum-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
ALASKA OIL PIPELINE
ARCTIC OCEAN
BAYS
BEAUFORT SEA
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MINERAL RESOURCES
OFFSHORE OPERATIONS
OIL FIELDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PIPELINES
PRODUCTION
PRUDHOE BAY
RESOURCES
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS