Oil-bearing areas in the Middle East

This article details the oil-bearing Régions with the the Middle East .

Note : To benefit as well as possible from this article, the reader should be familiar with the section entitled Notes on the units, sources and definitions .

Oil geology of this area

Geologically, the Persian Gulf is an enormous platform (crystalline base covered with Sédiment S). The thickness of sediments exceeds 6 km in the gulf itself, and every geological era since the Cambrien is represented.

Towards south-west, the thickness of sediments decreases gradually up to the point where the ic base Granit levels. The north-western limit is more sudden, corresponding to the “  suture  ” between the plates Arabic and Eurasian (mounts Zagros).

The two principal facies of rocks sources are Jurassic the Silurienne layers and . Contours of the mature zones are deferred on the chart. The rocks siluriennes, because of their depth of hiding, are mainly generating of Natural gas, except in the extensions towards south-west. The gas which they have product charged the formation “  Khuff  ”, a layer of Carbonate S dating from the Permian .

The Schiste S and the marl S Jurassic S, more recent and thus less deep, are, they, in phase of generation of oil, which corresponds at a less advanced stage of the maturation of the Kérogène. The oil produced by these very rich rocks found traps ideal in the deformations of the higher formation (“  Arab  ”), of carbonates of the Cretaceous .

The anticlinal deformations have as well affected the formations Khuff and Arab, creating traps in both, which explains why in several places, one finds gas layers right in lower part of those of oil. Many sources indicate that the paleozoic system was much less intensively explored. In this case the remaining potential of exploration of the Middle East would be more important for gas than for oil.

The Hydrocarbon S which can migrate horizontally at long distances, and the rocks sources not being sufficiently mature on all their extent, the zone of occurrence of the layers does not merge with the surface of the rocks active sources. The main part of the reserves is in the surface hatched in green Its equipment is about half of world conventional oil.

All the perimeters illustrated here are taken again publications of the United States Geological Survey . As for the position of the giant layers, it comes essentially from the national companies.

The 13 gisemets numbered on the chart have initial reserves of more than 10  Gbep. They are roughly classified by decreasing order of size, but considering the colossal margin of error of the figures available, one should not take this classification too much with the serious one. The deferred but not named layers have initial reserves of more than 5  Gbep.

The 13 numbered layers are:

1. North Dome (gas)
2. Ghawar
3. Burgan
4. Safaniyah
5. Zakum
6. Manifa
7. Kirkuk
8. Marun
9. Gachsaran
10. Northern Ahwaz
11. Rumaila and Southern
12. Abqaiq
13. Berri

Saudi Arabia

According to Oil and International Gas , the proven reserves of the Saudi Arabia at January 1st, 2005 are of 259,400  Gbbls, i.e. about the quarter of the proven reserves of planet. Two thirds of these reserves consist of crudes light or extra light, the remainder are average or heavy crudes. The national company Aramco affirms that the reserves in Saudi Arabia are such as this country can maintain without difficulty a day laborer production of 10,5 with 11  Mbbls/j and that this rate/rhythm can be increased with 15  Mbbls/j in the future and this for one 50 years period. However since August 2006, the production reaches a maximum with less than 8,5 Mbbls/j what seriously questions these allegations.

Currently, Saudi Arabia has 80 and oil reservoirs Natural gas, whereas the number of drilled wells of exploration exceeds the 1  000 wells. With 8,5  Mbbls/j, this country produces more than 10% of the world supply oil. Ghawar, close to the Persian Gulf, is the largest layer in the world. Discovered in 1948, it provides approximately half of the production of the country. Aramco affirms that there remain 60.000 or 70.000  Mbbls of reserves in Ghawar, but these assertions are highly disputed. Ghawar represents uncertainty n°1 on the future supplies oil.

Almost all the other large Saoudi layers are located in the vicinity and the same sandstones of the Crétacé. Abqaiq and Berri, close to Ghawar and presenting similar stratigraphies, produce some 0,5  Mbbls/j each one (much less than in the years 1970) of very light crude. The two giants Offshore oil rig, Safaniyah and Zuluf, supplement this family of 5 layers of which the three quarters leave the production of the country. Seven large layers of this area ( Khurais, Qatif, Khursaniyah, Fadhili, Manifa, Abu Safah and Abu Hadriya ) were put in reserve in the Années 1980 and are given in service one after the other.

More in south-east, close to the border of the Emirates, is the giant of Shaybay (0,5  Light oil Mbbls/j). Different geologically from the “Saoudi core” front city, it is exploited only since 1998 (but discovered 25 years front). This layer is still in its “first health” and its production should not decline before 20 or at least 25 years. In the center of the country, the group of Hawtah (0,2  Extra-light crude Mbbls/j), discovered in 1989, is the only important success of exploration in the country since 1980, but remains modest compared to the “historical” giants of the gulf.

To increase its production and to replace the decline of the existing well, Aramco must invest several billion dollars per annum. In 2007, the great project of aramco is the group AFK (Abu Hadriya, Fadhili, Kursinayah) which must produce 500 crude kbbls/j. The associated gas of Kursinayah will be treated, giving 250.000 barrils/days of natural gas liquids, nearly 100 0000 barrils oil equivalent per day (kbep/j) of natural gas (17 million cubic meters per days) and to sulfur. In 2008 three projects will come: extension of 50% of the production of Shaybah (250 additional bkbbls/j), the layer Nuayyim (100 kbbls/j, a small layer for Saudi Arabia), and it treatment plant of gas of Hawiyah, mainly intended to provide 650 kbep/j natural gas for the Saoudi market, by exploiting gas of the deep tanks of Ghawar, but which will provide also 300 kbbls/j associated liquids (mainly butane and propane). In 2009, the vast layer of Khurais, in the west of Ghawar, will be redéveloppement, Aramco expects from them 1,2 million barrils per day.

Complementary article: Oil industry of Saudi Arabia

Kuwait

Another country emblematic of the oil multitude, Kuwait asserts more 100  Gbbls of reserves, but that after a higher bid vis-a-vis the remainder of OPEC, which in fact a doubtful figure - some suspect the country of including the production passed in the reserves! If an internal document fallen between the hands from Petroleum Intelligence Weekly in January 2006 is authentic, the proven reserves and probable would actually be only of 48  Gbbls.

Gigantic the Burgan, second larger reservoir oil of planet, gathers approximately two thirds of the total equipment of the country, that is to say 60  Gbbls. It was also the first with being discovered, in 1938. Six other giants were found, the last in 1977. This small country was strongly explored and the prospects for new discoveries of size are mean, at least for oil. Gas discoveries were announced recently. Since 1980, the production is limited by the quotas of OPEC.

Country produced 2,2  Crude Mbbls/j and account to increase its capacity, in particular by increasing the production in the layers in the north of the country. Approximately 38  Gbbls were already produced, by counting 6  Gbbls left in smoke at the end the Guerre of the Gulf, which does not have besides affected the reserves posted by the country (94  Front Gbbls as after the war).

United Arab Emirates

With a productino of 2.7 Mb/d and reserves " officielles" from 100 GB, the Emirates are one of the pillars tradicitonnels of OPEC - even if actually, each emirate manages its natural resources, and only Abou Dabi is really member of the organization.

Abou Dabi holds the vast majority of the reserves. Oil exploration in this country (then independent) started in the years 1950. As elsewhere with the the Middle East, the essence of oil is concentrated in vast structures easy to locate, which explains why almost the six giant layers which represent more than 80% of the current production were found in 15 years (1954-1969) and that exploration is almost stopped. The principal layer is Zakum (1964), Offshore, estimated at with the more 21  Gbbls.

As in the other countries of OPEC, the reserves “miraculeusement” progressed (especially at the end of the years 1980) without discovered of size and remained stable since, as if the production did not reduce them. The emirate intends to increase its production capacity (currently 2,4  Mbbls/j) of approximately 1  Mbbls/j from here 2010, but there is only 0,1  Mbbls/j coming from three small new layers, all the remainder coming of additional capacity (new wells, massive injection of water and gas) in the old layers.

Gas reserves naturalness are very important, about 4 with 6000  G.m ³ (23 with 35  Gbep). Most of this gas is associated with the oil reservoirs, and the non-aligned gas is often charged out of sulfur. The production doubled in 10 years, partially exported in the form of Natural gas liquefied. The country tries to be essential like turntable of the regional market of natural gas.

On its side, Dubai announces always 4 GB of reserves but this figure seems not very credible: it is constant since 1991, whereas no new layer was found, and that 2  Gbbls were extracted, and the production (which comes from four old layers offshore oil rig) strongly decreased, passing from 350  kbbls/j in 1995 to 140 in 2005.

Iraq

Iraq posts reserves proven about 115  Mds of barrels, the fourth reserve proven after the Saudi Arabia, the Iran and the Canada. The country has six layers of more than 5  Gbbls, of which four or little were not exploited. This characteristic, single in the world, makes of Iraq the only country able to offer in the short run of Mbbls/j additional. The two sites super-giants already in production are Kirkuk in the north of the country, which produces since 1927, and Rumailha, very close to the border of Kuwait. Together, these two layers represent approximately two thirds of the production of the country. Kirkuk was severely damaged by an anarchistic exploitation at the end of the mode of Saddam Hussein (surpompage, oil re-injection), which could have decreased the extractable reserves irreversiblement. The quality of Iraqi oil rather largely varies passer by of 22°API (heavy crude) with Rumaila with 35°API (gross average) in Kirkuk.

The future production of Iraq is about impossible to evaluate.

Contrary to the other countries of the Persian Gulf, it remains much of exploration to be made, the oil inventory is thus far from being complete. Moreover, majority of the Iraqi layers appraised forever with modern technologies, and the available data are consequently more than fuzzy. The organizations which try to evaluate the oil potential of the country must thus be satisfied with old and fragmentary data. The exploration and the evaluation of the layers start to begin again. The production, undermined by the lack of spare parts and sabotages, remains lower than 2  Mbbls/j.

The Western desert, little explored, is often described how having a potential about 100  Gbbls. Actually, it is apart from the “oil mégacuisine” Arabo-Persian. Some wells were drilled there in the years 1970, and only one small oil reservoir was found.

The prospection in the surfaces geologically similar of the adjoining countries gave only small gas reserves in Jordan. There is thus no particular reason to believe in the existence of a major oil province in this sector.

Iran

At January 1st, 2005, Iran asserts about 10  % of the world proven reserves is 125,8  Mds of barrels, quantifies last with 132  Gbbls with the new layers of Kushk and Hosseineih (province of Khuzestan). Iran has 32 layers in production, including 25 with ground (Onshore) and 7 at sea (Offshore). As for the adjoining countries, the figures of reserves are to be used with prudence. Colin Campbell considers the reserves real at 69  Gbbls, while Samsam Bakhtiari retains a fork of 35 with 45  Gbbls.

The Khuzestan (south-western of the country, with the border with Iraq) is a sedimentary Bassin whose successive layers were deformed by the formation of the Monts Zagros and transpierced many saline domes, which created the ideal conditions for the formation of large layers. The five larger layers of this province approached each one or exceeded Mbbls/j at a given time, and produce nothing any more but 1,1  Mbbls/j together . Nevertheless, there remains a good potential of exploration in this area, especially offshore, illustrated by recent discoveries. Let us note however that these last were made in Prospect S known since of the decades, which had not been drilled up to now for political reasons, economic or technical.

Gas reserves are immense and still little exploited, in particular thanks to the layer of South Pars/North Dome divided with the Qatar. However most of the production will not be marketed, but will not be sent in Khuzestan via a gigantic Gazoduc of capacity, to be reinjected in the old oil reservoirs and thus to start again their production.

In addition to its resources in the Persian Gulf, Iran has some layers close to the border turkmene. As for the Iranian part of the Caspian Sea, it is still unexplored. Its geology is far from known, it is thus impossible to say if it has or not a strong potential like, in particular, Azeri water.

Qatar

This country is not as rich in oil as the five precedents, and produced 800  000  crude bbls/j, since layers for the majority old. Dukhân, the main thing, was discovered in 1938, the layers offshore oil rig generally date from the years 1960 to 1970. On the other hand, Qatar has gas reserves naturalness, the more important third of the world, concentrated in the immense offshore oil rig layer named North Dome or South Pars and divided with the Iran. It reigns a certain confusion on the size of this mastodon, much of sources seem nevertheless to converge towards reserves of approximately 200  Gbep (34  T.m ³), including 160 (28  T.m ³) in territory qatari, is some 15% of conventional gas world reserves.

The production is of approximately 40  G.m ³ per annum (600  kbep/j) and increases regularly. However, the government wishes to put a ceiling to the production to be able to maintain it for one century, and that could force to reduce the projects in progress somewhat. The applications, existing and future, of the gas qatari are multiple:

• the principal one is the production of Natural gas liquefied. the country exported 24  of it; MT in 2004, figure which should triple from here 2012.
• gas is the independent source of energy for the local needs.
• There are also several projects of export by Gazoduc, initially towards the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, then perhaps towards the Kuwait, even the India.
• gas reserves feed also a petrochemical Industrie important (Méthanol, Ammoniac).
• Several factories producing of the liquids starting from gas (Syncrude) are envisaged. The first (34  kbep/j) is in building site, several others are in project, for a total of more than 500  kbep/j.
• the North Dome produces also some 250  kbep/j of associated liquid condensates (the reserves would be of 17  Gbep), which leaves the quota of OPEC.

In the long term, the gas, condensations and the syncrude will replace the crude like product of export.

Other countries

The oil of Oman is characterized by the existence of small layers in the North-East and the center of the country. The proven recoverable reserves are about 5,5  Gbbls. The company in charge to manage the oil production of the country is PDO, whose government of Oman holds 60%, Shell 34%, Total 14% and Partex 2%. The production of oil of this country has been declining for several years, since the principal layer, Yibal, reached the toilets breakthough in 1997 (it produces only 50  kbbls/j, against 250  kbbls/j before). Like many countries in this situation, Oman seeks to diversify in natural gas, and exports some in cryogenic form (Natural gas liquefied). He also seeks to prolong the life of his old layers by techniques, such as horizontal drillings and the gas injection.

The Syria is a producer of second declining plan since 1996. The essence of the country is traversed by the periphery of the palézoïque great system of the Middle East, but the prospectivity of this zone is limited (and relates to gas and not oil). On the other hand, the north-eastern point contains the same rocks Jurassic sources which make the richness of the gulf, though less dense. The production of oil started in the years 1960, and Shell is traditionally the dominant company. The largest layers are now largely in déplétion, and the prospect for new discoveries are mean. The production is not any more but of 460 kb/j, against 590 in 1996. The country will become importer from here a few years, which worries much its government.

If the Yemen knew a small oil discovery since 1938, the commercial production started only very tardily, in 1986. At that time, the potential of the single producing oil system of the country, old a Rift equipped with Jurassic rocks sources, was overestimated after the discovery of two giants (Alif in 1984 and Camaal in 1991), and the companies international invested in the country. Disappointed by the results, number of them were withdrawn at the end of the years 1990, replaced by smaller companies. The production reached its peak in 2002, only 16 years after the beginning of the production. Since, it decreased slightly, passing by 450 to 426 kbbls/j. The country has 3 or 4  GB of reserves according to the sources. The country has gas reserves about 3  Gbep (500 G.m ³), mainly of gas associated with the oil reservoirs (reinjected up to now), which will supply a small terminal of export of LNG as from 2008.

Bahrain has only one layer, Awali, which was the first to produce in the Persian Gulf (years 1930), and gives nothing any more but 30-35  kbbls/j. Minor amounts of Natural gas were recently found with broad of Israel and Gaza . The small reserves of the Turkey are declining, and the production is marginal (45  kbbls/j). Minor amounts of gas exist in Black Sea, Aegean Sea and Thrace.

Table of synthesis

Notes on this table:

• Of the reliable figures of reserves is extremely difficult to obtain, even more in this area that elsewhere.
• Qatar announces 15  Gbbls of total reserves, whereas the sum of the figures given by layers gives only one fraction of this value. Perhaps does the figure include the condensates of the North Dome?
• the oil of the “neutral zone” is distributed here to 50/50 between Kuwait and Saudi Arabia
• the figures of production (expressed in kbbls/j) are the annual averages of 2004, the row is among the world producers . The figures come from the EIA.
• the area division of the world is different from that of ASPO. Compared to the figures of this source, the area Middle East Other (Yemen, Oman, Syria, inter alia) is added to Middle East GULF .
• Notons that the LGN (liquid of natural gas, not to confuse with LNG) are not included in the quotas of OPEC.