Prudhoe Bay development just beginning

Although more than 2 billion bbl of oil has been produced from Alaska's Prudhoe Bay field, development is just beginning. The field's owners will invest more in the next 5 years to keep production at its current rate of 1.5 million bpd than they have spent to date, according to Arco Alaska Inc., which operates the eastern half of the field. Sohio Alaska Petroleum Co., operates the western half. The development push includes the drilling of ca. 500 new wells to complement the ca. 300 wells that have been drilled. Eight rigs are working in the Prudhoe Bay field, making it the busiest drilling sector in Alaska. Techniques being used to develop the Prudhoe Bay field are discussed.