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 1,500 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 Field | 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 point when global oil production reaches its maximum rate, after which it will begin to decline irreversibly. The main concern is that global transportation relies heavily on gasoline and diesel. Transitioning to electric vehicles, biofuels, or more efficient transport could 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, in addition to Burgan field, the much smaller Magwa and Ahmadi fields. Greater Burgan is the world's largest sandstone oil field, and the second-largest overall, after Ghawar in Saudi Arabia. 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 one of the three largest oilfields in the world.
Kuwait Oil Company (KOC), an oil company headquartered in Al Ahmadi, Kuwait, is a subsidiary of the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, a government-owned holding company. Kuwait was the world's 10th largest petroleum and other liquids producer in 2010. The company produced a total of 1.7 million barrels per day.
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This page summarizes projects that brought more than 20,000 barrels per day (3,200 m3/d) of new liquid fuel capacity to market with the first production of fuel beginning in 2003. This is part of the Wikipedia summary of Oil Megaprojects—see that page for further details. 2003 saw 30 projects come on stream with an aggregate capacity of 2.499 million barrels per day (397,300 m3/d) when full production was reached.
This page summarizes projects that brought more than 20,000 barrels per day (3,200 m3/d) of new liquid fuel capacity to market with the first production of fuel beginning in 2006. This is part of the Wikipedia summary of Oil Megaprojects. 2006 saw 30 projects come on stream with an aggregate capacity of 4.092 million barrels per day (650,600 m3/d) when full production was reached this list does not like include any of the enormous project developed in the United States which dwarf these by +-5000 BOE.
This page summarizes projects that brought more than 20,000 barrels per day (3,200 m3/d) of new liquid fuel capacity to market with the first production of fuel beginning in 2007. This is part of the Wikipedia summary of Oil Megaprojects.
Following is a list of Oil megaprojects in the year 2010, 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.
Predicting the timing of peak oil involves estimation of future production from existing oil fields as well as future discoveries. The initial production model was Hubbert peak theory, first proposed in the 1950s. Since then, many experts have tried to forecast peak oil.
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.
According to the Iran Petroleum Ministry, the proved natural gas reserves of Iran are about 1,201 trillion cubic feet (34.0 trillion cubic metres) or about 17.8% of world's total reserves, of which 33% are as associated gas and 67% is in non associated gas fields. It has the world's second largest reserves after Russia. As it takes approximately 5,850 cubic feet (166 m3) of gas to equal the energy content of 1-barrel (0.16 m3) of oil, Iran's gas reserves represent the equivalent of about 205 billion barrels (3.26×1010 m3) of oil.
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 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 oilfields in the world with an estimated 38 billion barrels of oil reserves. The field was named Majnoon which means crazy in Arabic in reference to excessive amount of oil in a dense area.
The 1970s energy crisis occurred when the Western world, particularly the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, faced substantial petroleum shortages as well as elevated prices. The two worst crises of this period were the 1973 oil crisis and the 1979 energy crisis, when, respectively, the Yom Kippur War and the Iranian Revolution triggered interruptions in Middle Eastern oil exports.
Iran is an energy superpower and the petroleum industry in Iran plays an important part in it. In 2004, Iran produced 5.1 percent of the world's total crude oil, which generated revenues of US$25 billion to US$30 billion and was the country's primary source of foreign currency. At 2006 levels of production, oil proceeds represented about 18.7% of gross domestic product (GDP). However, the importance of the hydrocarbon sector to Iran's economy has been far greater. The oil and gas industry has been the engine of economic growth, directly affecting public development projects, the government's annual budget, and most foreign exchange sources.
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Energy use in Oman was 381 TWh in 2020, almost double the consumption in 2010.
According to the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA), Pakistan may have over 9 billion barrels (1.4×109 cubic metres) of petroleum oil and 105 trillion cubic feet (3.0 trillion cubic metres) in natural gas (including shale gas) reserves.