Production from the world's second-largest oil field may decline without the help of international oil companies. Kuwait, which produces 2.2 million bbl / day, has failed to renew agreements with several international oil companies including BP and Chevron.
The Burgan, second in size only to Ghawar in Saudi Arabia, has an estimated capacity of 1.4-1.5 million bbl / day. It possibly could have been maintained for more than 10 years. Without expertise the production will decline in five years.
...
Burgan, is far, far down the depletion trail and barring new as yet unknown technology will reach abandonment stage within 10-20 years.
The same fate awaits large numbers of supergiant fields including Ghawar, Samotlor (in Russia), Agha Jari, Ahwaz, Gach Saran, Marun (all in Iran), the Bolivar Costal fields of Venezuela, Cantarell (much in the news) in Mexico, Huntington Beach, Long Beach and Wilmington in California, East Texas and Yates in Texas and Prudhoe Bay in Alaska.
The increasing decline rates for these fields is a major contributor to the worldwide black oil decline rate, now estimated at 6.7% / year and increasing.
These depressing statistics mean that other sources of transportation fuel are urgently required.
On the Web :
The Oil Drum: Analysis of Decline Rate (pdf)
http://www.theoildrum.com/pdf/theoildrum_4820.pdf
Sources Gerson Lehman Group
http://www.glgroup.com/News/Burgan-fabl ... 43526.html
http://contreinfo.info/breve.php3?id_breve=7353