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World Oil Outlook - Opec

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Chapter 3<br />

Liquids supply<br />

Chapter 1 briefly described how total non-OPEC liquids supply continues to rise over<br />

the projection period in the Reference Case. This Chapter examines this conclusion in<br />

detail from both the medium- and long-term perspectives. The section covering the<br />

medium-term to 2016 considers, on the basis of an extensive dataset of currently producing<br />

fields and upstream projects, the prospects for non-OPEC crude and NGLs,<br />

and other liquids supply, including biofuels and oil sands. This is then extended to the<br />

long-term to 2035.<br />

As with the oil demand projections, there is a need to constantly revisit potential<br />

supply developments. With demand, it is important to react to changing economic<br />

growth expectations for the short-, medium- and long-term, changes to oil price expectations,<br />

emerging policies, and the development and penetration of newer technologies.<br />

Similarly, on the supply side, there are often changes to expectations, even over<br />

the course of the year since the last report. For example, there have been significant<br />

revisions to the expected prospects of shale oil supply. This chapter considers the detailed<br />

outlook for all forms of liquids supply and also highlights where major changes<br />

in expectations have occurred.<br />

Medium-term outlook for liquids supply<br />

Non-OPEC crude and NGLs<br />

The most dramatic change for the medium-term outlook for crude and NGLs supply<br />

relates to rising US shale oil production. Last year’s WOO identified the huge shale oil<br />

potential, but questioned the extent to which the massive deposits could be translated<br />

into supply, given constraints that included acquiring the necessary equipment and<br />

skilled labour, dealing with rising costs and environmental concerns.<br />

This year’s expanded oil shale supply projections are driven by the fact that production<br />

levels are already accelerating: total supply from the Bakken, Eagle Ford and<br />

Niobrara shale oil plays is already over 1 mb/d. And despite severe decline rates, US<br />

shale oil supply is expected to rise rapidly over the medium-term.<br />

Figure 3.1 shows how the non-OPEC liquids supply expectations for 2015 have<br />

risen by more than 2 mb/d compared to the WOO 2011. Medium-term US crude<br />

oil and NGLs production is projected to increase from 7.8 mb/d in 2011 to 9.3 mb/d<br />

109<br />

Chapter<br />

3

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