Summary
The Prudhoe Bay Unit Owners are completing installation of the first major phase of Gas Handling Expansion (GHX) facilities at Prudhoe Bay. GHX will add significant crude oil reserves as well as slow oil production decline by allowing production of higher gas/oil ratio wells. The GHX facilities include several large components which are being used to increase field gas offtake (FGO) rates. The first phase of GHX (GHX-1) will increase FGO from a nominal 3.6 billion standard cubic feet per day (BSCFD) to about 5.1 BSCFD; the second phase (GHX-2) will increase FGO to about 7.5 BSCFD. As is with most major projects, aggressive schedule targets were established for GHX-1 to optimize project economics. Preliminary Engineering was initiated in June 1988, with major facility modules sealifted in summer of 1990. The fabrication and construction effort involved work in Portland, Oregon and Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. All GHX-1 facilities should be in place and operating in early 1992. Current forecast cost for the overall project is approximately $450 million.