Production at ConocoPhillips Alaska site cut by ongoing gas leak

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An ongoing natural gas leak that has persisted for at least 11 days at a ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) field in Alaska has cut into oil production at the site, Reuters reports, citing data from the state's Department of Revenue.

Crude production at Conoco's Alpine unit fell to 36,861 barrels on March 13 - the last data available - compared with a range of 51K-58K bbl/day in February, before the leak was detected, according to the state's data.

ConocoPhillips said it is mobilizing a drill rig to "proactively address source mitigation of the surface gas release at Alpine CD1," but neither the company nor state officials have disclosed the size of the leak.

The subsurface leak was discovered at CD1, Alpine's oldest drill pad and production site, prompting the company to evacuate ~300 workers from the area on March 7; no leaked gas has been discovered beyond CD1.

The Alpine leak comes as federal officials have launched a new court-mandated environmental impact statement for ConocoPhillips’ planned Willow development in Alaska.