This list of oil fields includes some major oil fields of the past and present.
The list is incomplete; there are more than 25,000 oil and gas fields of all sizes in the world. [1] However, 94 % of known oil is concentrated in fewer than 1500 giant and major fields. [2] Most of the world's largest oilfields are located in the Middle East, but there are also supergiant (>10 billion bbls) oilfields in Brazil, Mexico, Venezuela, Kazakhstan, and Russia.
Amounts listed below, in billions of barrels, are the estimated ultimate recoverable petroleum resources (proved reserves plus cumulative production), given historical production and current extraction technology. Oil shale reserves (perhaps 3 trillion barrels (4.8×1011 m3)) and coal reserves, both of which can be converted to liquid petroleum, are not included in this chart. Other non-conventional liquid fuel sources are similarly excluded from this list.
Field | Location | Discovered | Started production | Peaked | Recoverable oil, past and future (billion barrels) | Production (million barrels/day) | Rate of decline |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ghawar Field | Saudi Arabia | 1948 [3] | 1951 [3] | 2005, [4] disputed [5] | 88-104 [6] | 3.8 [7] | 8 % per year [8] |
Burgan Field | Kuwait | 1937 | 1948 | 2005 [9] | 66-72 [8] | 1.7 [10] | 14 % per year[ citation needed ] |
Ahvaz Field | Iran | 1958 | 1970s [11] | 25 recoverable [12] | 0.75 [13] | ||
Upper Zakum oil field | Abu Dhabi, UAE | 1963 [14] | 1982 [15] [16] (1967 [14] ) | Production still increasing | 21 recoverable [15] [14] ) | 0.75 [15] | Extension planned to 1 MMb/d [17] |
Gachsaran Field | Iran | 1927 | 1930 | 1974 | 66 [18] | 0.48 | |
Cantarell Field | Mexico | 1976 | 1981 | 2004 [19] | 18–35 billion recoverable [8] | 0.16 [20] | peaked in 2004 at 2.14 million barrels per day (340,000 m3/d) [20] |
Ku-Maloob-Zaap | Mexico | 1979 | 1981 | 2015 | 0.72 | Production peaked at 853000 bpd in 2018 | |
Bolivar Coastal Field | Venezuela | 1917 | 1922 | 30–32 [8] | 2.6–3 [8] | ||
Aghajari Field | Iran | 1938 | 1940 | 28 [21] | 0.44 | ||
Tupi Field | Brazil, Santos Basin | 2007 | 5–8 | 0.93 | |||
Safaniya Oil Field | Kuwait/Saudi Arabia | 1951 | 30 | 1.2 | |||
Esfandiar Field | Iran | 1965 | 30 | ||||
Rumaila Field | Iraq | 1953 | 17 [22] | 1.5 [22] | |||
Tengiz Field | Kazakhstan | 1979 | 1993 | 2010 | 26–40 [8] | 0.65 [23] | expanding from 285k to 1.3 m bpd [24] |
Kirkuk Field | Iraq | 1927 | 1934 | 8.5 | 0.48 | ||
Shaybah Field | Saudi Arabia | 1998 | 1998 | 15 | |||
Majnoon Field | Iraq | 1975 | 11–20 [22] | 0.5 [22] | |||
Samotlor Field | Russia, West Siberia | 1965 | 1969 | 1980 [25] | 14–16 | 0.33 | (depletion: 73 %) [26] 5 % decline per year (2008–2014) [27] |
Shaikan Sheikh Adi Field | Iraq Kurdistan | 2009 | 2013 | production still increasing | 4–6 | 0.04 | production still increasing |
Romashkino Field | Russia, Volga-Ural | 1948 | 1949 | in decline | 16–17 | 0.30 (2006) [26] | depletion: 85 % [26] |
Prudhoe Bay | United States, Alaska | 1967–68 | 1977 | 1988 [28] | 13 recoverable | 0.32 | 11 % per year[ citation needed ] |
Sarir Field | Libya | 1961 | 1961 | 6.5 billion recoverable | |||
Priobskoye field | Russia, West Siberia | 1982 | 2000 | 13 | 0.50 (2019) | 14 % depleted, production rapidly expanding [29] | |
Lyantorskoye field | Russia, West Siberia | 1966 | 1979 | 13 | 0.168 (2004) [26] | depletion: 81 % [26] | |
Abqaiq Field | Saudi Arabia | 1940 | 1940 | 12 | 0.43 [30] | ||
Chicontepec Field | Mexico | 1926 | 6.5 [20] (19 certified) [31] | ||||
Berri Field | Saudi Arabia | 1964 | 12 | ||||
West Qurna Field | Iraq | 1973 | 15–21 [22] | 0.18–0.25 (pot.)* civil war [22] | |||
Manifa Field | Saudi Arabia | 1957 | 11 | ||||
Fyodorovskoye Field | Russia, West Siberia | 1971 | 1974 | 11 | 1.9 (197x) | ||
East Baghdad Field | Iraq | 1976 | 8 [22] | 0–0.05 (pot.)* civil war [22] | |||
Foroozan-Marjan (Iran) Field | Saudi Arabia/Iran | 1966 | 10 | ||||
Marlim Field | Brazil, Campos Basin | 1985 | in decline | 10–14 | 8 % per year [32] | ||
Awali | Bahrain | 1932 | 1 | ||||
Azadegan Field | Iran | 1999 | 5.2 | ||||
Marun Field | Iran | 1963 | 16 | 0.52 | |||
Mesopotamian Foredeep Basin | Kuwait | 66–72 | |||||
Minagish | Kuwait | 1959 | 2 | ||||
Raudhatain | Kuwait | 11 | |||||
Sabriya | Kuwait | 1955 [33] | 2018 [33] | 3.8–4 | |||
Yibal | Oman | 1968 | 1 | ||||
Mukhaizna Oil Field | Oman | 1 | |||||
Dukhan Field | Qatar | 1988 | 2.2 | ||||
Halfaya Field | Iraq | 2010 | 4.1 | ||||
Az Zubayr Field | Iraq | 1949 | 6 | ||||
Nahr Umr Field | Iraq | 1948 | 6 | ||||
Abu-Sa'fah field | Saudi Arabia | 1963 | 6.1 | ||||
Hassi Messaoud | Algeria | 1956 | 9 | ||||
Bouri Field | Libya | 1976 | 1988 | 4.5 | 0.060 | ||
Kizomba Complex | Angola | 2 | |||||
Dalia (oil field) | Angola | 1997 | 1 | ||||
Belayim | Angola | >1 | |||||
Zafiro | Angola | 1 | |||||
Zelten oil field | Libya | 1956 | 1961 | 2.5 | |||
Agbami Field | Nigeria | 1998 | 2008 | 0.8–1.2 | |||
Bonga Field | Nigeria | 1996 | 2005 | 1.4 | |||
Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli | Azerbaijan | 1985 | 1997 | 5.4 | 0.54 | ||
Bahar oilfields | Azerbaijan, Bibiheybət | 1846 | |||||
Karachaganak Field | Kazakhstan | 1972 | 2.5 | ||||
Kashagan Field | Kazakhstan | 2000 | 30 [34] | 0.40 [23] | |||
Kurmangazy Field | Kazakhstan | 6–7 | |||||
Darkhan Field | Kazakhstan | 9.5 | |||||
Zhanazhol Field | Kazakhstan | 1960 | 1987 | 3 | |||
Uzen Field | Kazakhstan | 7 | |||||
Kalamkas Field | Kazakhstan | 3.2 | |||||
Zhetybay Field | Kazakhstan | 2.1 | |||||
Nursultan Field | Kazakhstan | 4.5 | |||||
Jubilee oil field | Ghana | 2007 | 2010 | 3 | 0.15 | ||
Ekofisk oil field | Norway | 1969 | 1971 | 2006 | 3.3 | 0.13 | |
Troll Vest | Norway | 1979 | 1990 | 2003 | 1.4 | ||
Statfjord | Norway | 1974 | 1979 | 1987 | 5 [35] | ||
Gullfaks | Norway | 1978 | 1986 | 1994 | 2.1 | ||
Oseberg | Norway | 1979 | 1988 | 2.2 | 0.089 | ||
Snorre | Norway | 1979 | 1992 | 2003 | 1.5 | ||
Johan Sverdrup oil field | Norway | 2010 | 2019 | 2023 | 2.8 | 0.76 | Plateau production target of 755,000 bpd reached in May 2023 |
Mamontovskoye Field | Russia | 8 | |||||
Russkoye Field | Russia | 2.5 | |||||
Kamennoe Field | Russia | 1.9 | |||||
Vankor Field | Russia | 1983 | 2009 | 3.8 [36] | |||
Vatyeganskoye Field | Russia | 1.4 | |||||
Tevlinsko-Russkinskoye Field | Russia | 1.3 | |||||
Sutorminskoye Field | Russia | 1.3 | |||||
Urengoy group | Russia | 1 | |||||
Ust-Balykskoe Field | Russia | >1 | |||||
Tuymazinskoe Field | Russia | 3 | |||||
Arlanskoye Field | Russia | >2 | |||||
South-Hilchuy Field | Russia | 3.1 | |||||
North-Dolginskoye Field | Russia | 2.2 | |||||
Nizhne-Chutinskoe Field | Russia | 1.7 | |||||
South-Dolginskoye Field | Russia | 1.6 | |||||
Prirazlomnoye Field | Russia | 1989 | 2011 | 1.4 | |||
West-Matveevskoye Field | Russia | 1.1 | |||||
Sakhalin Islands | Russia | 14 | |||||
Odoptu | Russia | 1 | |||||
Arukutun-Dagi | Russia | 1 | |||||
Piltun-Astokhskoye Field | Russia | 1986 | 1999 | 1 | |||
Ayash Field East-Odoptu Field | Russia | 4.5 | |||||
Verhne-Chonskoye Field | Russia | 1.3 | |||||
Talakan Field | Russia | 1.3 | |||||
North-Caucasus Basin | Russia | 1.7 | |||||
Clair oilfield | United Kingdom | 1977 | 1.75 recoverable | ||||
Forties oilfield | United Kingdom | 1970 | 1975 | 1979 | 5 | 0.02 | |
Jupiter field | Brazil | 2008 | 7 | ||||
Cupiagua/Cusiana | Colombia | 1 | |||||
Boscán Field, Venezuela | Venezuela | 1946 | 1947 | 1.6 | |||
Mumbai High | India, Arabian Sea | 1965 | 1974 | 0.17 | |||
Pembina | Canada | 1953 | 1953 | 1.81 (recoverable) [37] | |||
Swan Hills | Canada | ||||||
Rainbow Lake | Canada | ||||||
Hibernia | Canada | 1979 | 1997 | 3 | |||
Terra Nova Field | Canada | 1984 | 2002 | 1.0 | |||
Kelly-Snyder / SACROC | United States, Texas | 1.5 | |||||
Bakken Oil Field | United States, North Dakota | 1951 | 7.3 [38] | ||||
Yates Oil Field | United States, Texas | 1926 | 1926 | 1929 | 3.0 (2.0 billion recovered; 1.0 reserve remaining) [39] [40] | ||
Kuparuk oil field | United States, Alaska | 1969 | 6 | ||||
Alpine, Alaska | United States, Alaska | 1994 | 2000 | 2005 | 0.4–1 | 0.05 | |
East Texas Oil Field | United States, Texas | 1930 | 6 | ||||
Spraberry Trend | United States, Texas | 1943 | 10 [41] | ||||
Wilmington Oil Field | United States, California | 1932 | 3 | ||||
South Belridge Oil Field | United States, California | 1911 | 2 [42] | ||||
Coalinga Oil Field | United States, California | 1887 | 1 | ||||
Elk Hills | United States, California | 1911 | 1.5 [42] | ||||
Kern River | United States, California | 1899 | 2.5 [42] | ||||
Midway-Sunset Field | United States, California | 1894 | 3.4 [42] | ||||
Thunder Horse Oil Field | United States, Gulf of Mexico | 1999 | 1 | 0.25 | |||
Kingfish | Australia | 1.2 | |||||
Halibut | Australia | 1967 | 1 | ||||
Daqing Field | China | 1959 | 1960 | 2008 | 16 | 0.60 | depletion: 90 %, production peaked at 40 m t/y in 2008 |
Jidong Field | China | 2.2 | |||||
Tahe Field | China | 8 | |||||
Nanpu Oil Field | China | 7.35 | |||||
SL10-SL13 Genel/CPC Field | Somaliland | 2014 | 4.2 | ||||
Wushi Oil Field | China | 2015 | |||||
Tarim Oil Fields | China | 1989 | |||||
Zafiro Field | Equatorial Guinea | 1995 | 2004 | 1 [43] | |||
Unnamed field | Antarctica | 2024 | 511 [44] |
Ghawar is an oil field located in Al-Ahsa Governorate, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Measuring 280 by 30 km, it is by far the largest conventional oil field in the world, and accounts for roughly a third of the cumulative oil production of Saudi Arabia as of 2018.
Peak oil is the theorized point in time when the maximum rate of global oil production will occur, after which oil production will begin an irreversible decline. The primary concern of peak oil is that global transportation heavily relies upon the use of gasoline and diesel fuel. Switching transportation to electric vehicles, biofuels, or more fuel-efficient forms of travel may help reduce oil demand.
The Burgan field is an oil field situated in the desert of southeastern Kuwait. Burgan field can also refer to the Greater Burgan—a group of three closely spaced fields, which includes Burgan field itself as well as the much smaller Magwa and Ahmadi fields. Greater Burgan is the world's largest sandstone oil field, and the second-largest overall, after Ghawar. The Burgan Field is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf which played a huge part in the creation of this prominent reservoir formation many million years ago.
The Rumaila oil field is a super-giant oil field located in southern Iraq, approximately 50km to the south west of Basra City. Discovered in 1953 by the Basrah Petroleum Company (BPC), an associate company of the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC), the field is estimated to contain 17 billion barrels, which accounts for 12% of Iraq's oil reserves, estimated at 143 billion barrels. Rumaila is said to be the largest oilfield ever discovered in Iraq and is one of the three largest oil fields in the world.
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Following is a list of Oil megaprojects in the year 2011, projects that propose to bring more than 20,000 barrels per day (3,200 m3/d) of new liquid fuel capacity to market with the first production of fuel. This is part of the Wikipedia summary of Oil Megaprojects.
The petroleum industry in Kuwait is the largest industry in the country, accounting nearly half of the country's GDP. Kuwait has proven crude oil reserves of 104 billion barrels (15 km3), estimated to be 9% of the world's reserves. Kuwait's oil reserves are the sixth largest in the world and the Burgan Field is the second largest oil field. Kuwait is the world's eleventh largest oil producer and seventh largest exporter. Kuwait's oil production accounts for 7% of world-wide oil production.
Proven oil reserves in Iran, according to its government, rank fourth largest in the world at approximately as of 2013, although it ranks third if Canadian reserves of unconventional oil are excluded. This is roughly 10% of the world's total proven petroleum reserves. At 2020 rates of production, Iran's oil reserves would last 145 years if no new oil was found.
The proven oil reserves in Saudi Arabia are reportedly the second largest in the world, estimated in 2017 to be 268 billion barrels, including 2.5 Gbbl in the Saudi–Kuwaiti neutral zone. This would correspond to more than 50 years of production at current rates. In the oil industry, an oil barrel is defined as 42 US gallons, which is about 159 litres, or 35 imperial gallons. The oil reserves are predominantly found in the Eastern Province. These reserves were apparently the largest in the world until Venezuela announced they had increased their proven reserves to 297 Gbbl in January 2011. The Saudi reserves are about one-fifth of the world's total conventional oil reserves. A large fraction of these reserves comes from a small number of very large oil fields, and past production amounts to 40% of the stated reserves. Other sources state that Saudi Arabia has about 297.7 billion barrels.
The Majnoon Oil Field is a super-giant oil field located 60 km (37 mi) from Basra in southern Iraq. Majnoon is one of the richest oil fields in the world with an estimated 38 billion barrels of oil in place. The field was named Majnoon which means crazy in Arabic in reference to excessive amount of oil in a dense area.
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