Kuwait's Burgan Oil Field in Terminal Decline

uNkNowN ElEmEnt

Kuwaits Biggest Field Starts to Run Out of Oil (World's 2nd Largest)

It was an incredible revelation last week that the second largest oil field in the world is exhausted and past its peak output. Yet that is what the Kuwait Oil Company revealed about its Burgan field.
Kuwait: Saturday, November 12 - 2005 at 08:46

The peak output of the Burgan oil field will now be around 1.7 million barrels per day, and not the two million barrels per day forecast for the rest of the field's 30 to 40 years of life, Chairman Farouk Al Zanki told Bloomberg.

He said that engineers had tried to maintain 1.9 million barrels per day but that 1.7 million is the optimum rate. Kuwait will now spend some $3 million a year for the next year to boost output and exports from other fields.

However, it is surely a landmark moment when the world's second largest oil field begins to run dry. For Burgan has been pumping oil for almost 60 years and accounts for more than half of Kuwait's proven oil reserves. This is also not what forecasters are currently assuming.

Forecasts Wrong
Last week the International Energy Agency's report said output from the Greater Burgan area will be 1.64 million barrels a day in 2020 and 1.53 million barrels per day in 2030. Is this now a realistic scenario?

Aaron

It is very possible that if they are admitting it's peaked, that it may have actually peaked long ago, and will experience a North Sea nose dive in production soon.

This is the doomer worst case scenario... OPEC members have managed to conceal their depletion long enough, that when it finally becomes apparent what's happening, it's way too late to act.

Short drop & a quick stop.
_________________
"When you understand why you dismiss all the other possible gods, you will understand why I dismiss yours." - Stephen F Roberts.

Praise HawkMan

elroy

Doomer's worst case ? You mean doomer's wet dream. Wink

_________________

orz · Heavy Crude Joined: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 129

The wording of it seems like they are keeping the rate low so as to maintain some sort of plateau of production, but then again, this doesn't seem like the best time to trust them.

some_guy282 · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 18, 2004 Posts: 691

I thought the world's second largest field was in Mexico?

In any event, how long until the Saudis are letting the world know Ghawar's production is hiting a peak, but telling us not to worry because they have so many other great fields they have yet to develop. Crying or Very sad

_________________
In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule. – Nietzsche

Time makes more converts than reason. – Thomas Paine

History is a set of lies agreed upon. – Napoleon Bonaparte

MicroHydro · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Apr 10, 2005 Posts: 1286

This is a confirmation of what Simmons has been saying about Saudi. Kuwait's rate of 1.9mbpd was 0.2mbpd above the sustainable rate of production. Probably they were losing reservoir pressure.

Simmons thinks that Saudi is above their maximum rate of production already, and will have to back off very soon.
_________________
"The world is changed... I feel it in the water... I feel it in the earth... I smell it in the air... Much that once was, is lost..." - Galadriel

0mar

well Burgan has been producing since the '30s. This was inevitable.
_________________
Joseph Stalin
"It is enough that the people know there was an election. The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything. "

GreyZone · Heavy Crude Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 115

RonMN

Haven't they been pumping the ghawar field as long as the burgan field??? (or pretty close to the same time frame)?

some_guy282 · Intermediate Crude Joined: Jul 18, 2004 Posts: 691

I think Ghawar started producing in the late 40's or early 50's.
_________________
In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations, and epochs it is the rule. – Nietzsche

Time makes more converts than reason. – Thomas Paine

History is a set of lies agreed upon. – Napoleon Bonaparte

Antimatter

Flow · Heavy Crude Joined: Nov 05, 2005 Posts: 166

Amazingly, you do a google on this and only one source is reporting it. For such a huge story you think it would be all over the place.

GreyZone · Heavy Crude Joined: Sep 25, 2005 Posts: 115

savethehumans · Light Sweet Crude Joined: Oct 20, 2004 Posts: 1541

Gee. What. A. Surprise. NOT. Rolling Eyes

Antimatter

Burgan has aquifer support, they are choking it back to maintain the pressure. To me this is actually GOOD news because it indicates they are going for higher recovery rather than max production. Burgan could produce over 2mb/d if the taps were opened, note the spike in 1991 when the wellheads were blown off and oil spewed into the air. "Production" went from 2mb/d to somewhere between 4 and 6mb/d.

No lack of pressure there!
_________________
"Production of useful work is limited by the laws of thermodynamics, but the production of useless work seems to be unlimited."