| Burgan Field | |
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Much of western and southern Kuwait is home to some of the largest oil fields in the world. The dark patch of land in southern Kuwait is where the Al-Burqan oil field is located. |
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| Country | Kuwait |
| Region | Middle East |
| Offshore/onshore | Onshore |
| Coordinates | |
| Operator(s) | Kuwait Oil Company |
| Field history | |
| Discovery | 1936 |
| Start of production | 1946 |
| Peak of production | 2005 |
| Abandonment | 2042 |
| Production | |
| Current production of oil | 1,200,000 barrels per day (~6.0×107 t/a) |
| Current production of gas | 550 million cubic feet per day (16×106 m3/d) |
| Peak of production (oil) | 1,700,000 barrels per day (~8.5×107 t/a) |
| Estimated oil in place | 44,000 million barrels (~6.0×109 t) |
| Producing formations | Upper Cretaceous Wara |
The onshore Burgan Field in the desert of southeastern Kuwait is one of the world's largest and richest oil fields.
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After its discovery in February, 1938, the USA and UK-owned Kuwait Oil Company began commercial oil production at Burgan in 1946. The oil field is so rich that it is one of the world's easiest production sites. There are no rising and falling oil derricks at Burgan, as seen at other oil fields. Instead, there are electric submersible pumps (ESPs) drawing off the oil as it flows to the surface on its own. Burgan has helped Kuwait become one of the largest oil exporters on the planet. It accounts for more than half of Kuwait's proven oil reserves.
Production capacity peaked at 1,700,000 barrels per day (270,000 m3/d) in 2005 and subsequently declined. The International Energy Agency predicts an output of 1,640,000 bbl/d (261,000 m3/d) in 2020, 1,530,000 bbl/d (243,000 m3/d) in 2030.[1]
In 1991, retreating Iraqi soldiers set Burgan Field on fire. Smoke plumes from the Greater Burgan oil field extended 50 kilometers in width on any given day, and 2.5 km thick. From satellite observations the plume appeared like a black snake in the desert that extended parallel to the Persian Gulf (EOS Project NASA Goddard Space Flight Center). The Red Adair Service and Marine Company extinguished 117 of the burning well fires, while the Canadian company Safety Boss set the pace with 180 wells extinguished. Declassified 1991 CIA documents claimed that despite the destruction there was no significant depletion of the oil reserves and drop in production capacity at Burgan field.[2] Three gathering stations were, however, too badly damaged to repair.