Energi i fremtiden - globale, regionale og nationale ... - Teknologirådet

On a resent visit in Abu Dhabi I had the possibility to visit on shore oilfields. Discussion with operation
managers gave “Sustainable Capacity” another dimension. They explained that the fields needed water
injection to provide a pressure to move the oil to the production well. If this injection is forced the total
amount of oil that is possible to produce from the field will be lower compared with a “sustainable production”.
To be able to produce 250000 barrels per day in the Bab field they need to inject 450000 barrels
of water. Part of the water will be pressed through to the production well and just now the produced crude
oil contents 4% water. As water flows easier then oil you will destroy part of the field if you force is. Al
old oilfields in the Middle East have about the same ration of water injection. The demand on the oil producing
countries in the Middle East to double the production is in reality a demand to partly destroy the
possibility for future generations to get revenues in the future. We should be thankful that field managers
and other responsible persons now speak up and explain the reality and we that need to import oil
have to make plans according to this.
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Figure 19: Data presented
by Saudi Aramco.