Oil and gas
Producing Oil and Gas
07/08/2010
When a potential oil deposit is explored, appraisal drillings are carried out to confirm whether there are hydrocarbons underground. If oil and gas are present deep underground, geologists, engineers, and technicians carry out additional surveys,which provide more information on the site (such as reservoir shape andfeatures and the proportion of water and hydrocarbons in the deposit). However, since it involves investing hundreds of millions of euros, production on a deposit does not start until after further in-depth surveys are carried out.
Starting Up Production on a Hydrocarbon Deposit
Developing a deposit involves ascertaining the amount of oil and gas that it will yield, as well as how profitable extraction will be. If these forecasts are satisfactory, special infrastructure is set up to recover the hydrocarbons in the safest possible way.
A Deposit's Life Cycle
Extracting a deposit involves three production stages - start-up, stable production, and decreasing production - although sometimes the unexpected can happen. Some years later, the site is closed down and rehabilitated before being restored to its natural state.
