Story last updated at 2/19/2009 - 5:11 pm
Independents' hold gas, oil interests in Cook Inlet
As 2008 drew to a close, three of seven independent oil and gas companies with interests in Cook Inlet were asked by the state to combine their activities or face termination of their lease holdings.
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Oil and Gas Division asked Escopeta Oil, Pacific Energy Resources Ltd. and Renaissance Alaska to unitize their operations and designate one of the companies as the unit operator.
It has been estimated that more than 4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 1 million barrels of oil may be present in the Kitchen, East Kitchen and Corsair prospects.
According to the DNR, the Kitchen leases were purchased nine years ago and the leaseholders have passed deadlines for proving up the reserves.
As recently as December 2008, Escopeta President Danny Davis said, "Pacific Energy and Escopeta are going to unitize. I'm waiting to hear from Renaissance."
Like Escopeta, Renaissance Alaska is based in Houston, Texas. Pacific Energy Resources Ltd. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.
Other independents with interests in Cook Inlet are Pioneer Natural Resources Company, based in Irving, Texas, and Devon Energy Corporation of Oklahoma City, Okla.
The two independents have interests in the Cosmopolitan Prospect off the coast of Ninilchik.
XTO Energy Inc. has been a long-time operator in Cook Inlet. The company says Cook Inlet contributes about 2,900 barrels of oil to its gross daily oil production.
Aurora Gas LLC is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in Cook Inlet. Formed in 2000, Aurora is currently one of six companies with operated production in the inlet.
Following is contact information for the independents:
* Escopeta Oil
5005 Riverway
Houston, TX 77056
(713) 623-2219
* Pacific Energy Resources Ltd.
111 W. Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 628-1526 or (907) 258-8600
* Renaissance Alaska LLC
2500 Tanglewilde Ave.
Houston, TX 77063
(281) 768-7650
* Pioneer Natural Resources Company
5205 N. O'Connor Blvd.
Irving, TX 75039
(972) 444-9001 or (907) 343-2101
* Devon Energy Corporation
20 N. Broadway
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
(405) 235-3611
* XTO Energy Inc.
810 Houston Street
Fort Worth, TX 76102
(817) 870-2800 or 800-299-2800
* Aurora Gas LLC
1400 W. Benson
Anchorage, AK 99503
(907) 277-1003
Phil Hermanek can be reached at phillip.hermanek@peninsulaclarion.com.
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