by rockdoc123 » Fri 09 Sep 2005, 17:21:11
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'i')t is realistic to assume there will continue to be future oil discoveries and developments, the majority will be smaller, complex accumulations. Consequently, their finding and development costs will be higher than past experience." [note, sounds like ASPO and Simmons, except that he's from Saudi Arabia]
I don't think anyone is arguing this point. But the presentation you point to again does not offer up any hard information. In order to be able to predict properly where Saudi producition will go we need the data....statements about what they can or can't do or about what might happen etc. etc. don't really get us any further ahead. Saudis are suggesting flat production 30 or more years out without any additional discoveries, just conversion of 3P and 2P to 1P. I've been digging a bit lately through all of my own notes on Saudi and the following questions come to mind that we need to answer prior to rushing to judgement:
-presented material from Aramco suggests A'in Dur and Shadgun have produced 60% of URR. Currently these fields account for a lot of production....is 70% recovery likely and at what expense to adjacent fields that have smaller recoveries.
-what proportion of Saudis current energy consumption (which has been rising fairly steadily year to year) is made up of fuel oil. The last number I recall seeing from late nineties was about 47%. They have made a significant amount of gas discovery (64 TCF) in the past 10 years and much of this is just getting tied in, suggesting there is likely a lot of oil production that could now go to export rather than be consumed locally.
-there has been considerable condensate discovered during the gas exploration phase (some of the discovered fields are quite rich) how is this seen as fitting into the export market or alternatively the local market.
-Shaybah is noted to have 20 billion barrels and only 5% recovered to date. Production in 2003 was 500,000 bopd and Saudis predict this as being flat for quite awhile. Assuming the reserve number is correct this makes sense to me. Shaybah is extra light Arab sweet (0.2 % S, 40 API) and Aramco has suggested that with little investment they should be able to bring Shaybah up to 800,000 bopd.
-more information regarding crude qualities, production rates, reservoir properties is required.
-more information regarding current split in both production and remaining reserves for heavy to light and sweet to sour crudes are required. How market limited is Arab Heavy?
- there are a few fields that have high recovery factors already...Ghawar (48%), Ain Dur and Shadgun (60%) and Abqaiq (73%)....others such as Haradh, Marjan, Zuluf and Shaybah and pretty close to 10%. It is thus very important to understand how reservoir properties and oil properties change from field to field.