Santos has commenced seawater injection at its major Pikka oil project on Alaska’s North Slope, marking a significant milestone towards reaching full production capacity.
The company confirmed that on-specification water export from its seawater treatment plant began on August 18, filling the 75-kilometre pipeline linking the Beaufort Sea to the project’s Nanushuk Drillsite-B (NDB).
Injection into the underground reservoir commenced on August 26, with Santos completing milestone testing as injection rates reached approximately 40,000 barrels per day.
Establishing seawater injection is important for maintaining pressure within the reservoir, enabling Santos to safely expand production.
Continuous oil production at Pikka originally commenced in June 2026, with current wells delivering around 40,000 barrels of crude oil per day (gross).
With reservoir pressure support now active, Santos plans to progressively bring additional production wells online in the coming weeks.
Santos CEO Kevin Gallagher noted the significance of the development for the company’s growth targets.
“Seawater injection is a critical step in unlocking Pikka’s production capacity. With pressure support now established and wells coming online progressively, we continue to target plateau production rates at the end of the third quarter of 2026,” Gallagher said.
“Pikka is a world-class asset and seawater injection, together with continued efficient drilling and operations, keeps us firmly on track to deliver its full potential.”
The project remains on track to hit its targeted plateau production of approximately 80,000 gross barrels of oil per day by the end of September 2026.
Santos operates the world-class Alaskan asset with a 51 per cent interest in the Pikka Unit, alongside Spanish energy firm Repsol, which holds the remaining 49 per cent.
The development has been delivered in close partnership with local contractors, the State of Alaska, Alaska Native corporations, and surrounding communities.
