Oil & Gas Exploration and production

Crude oil is categorized using two qualities: Density and sulfur content.

Density is measured by API gravity and ranges from light (high API gravity/low density) to heavy 16 Sulfur content ranges from sweet (low sulfur content) to sour (high sulfur content).

Light and sweet crude oil is usually priced higher, and therefore more sought-after because it is easier to refine to make gasoline than heavy and sour crude oil. Oil volume is measured in barrels (bbl), which equals 42 gallons.

Natural gas is found in both associated formations, meaning it is formed and produced with the oil, and non-associated reservoirs. Gas can either be dry (pure methane) or wet (exists with other hydrocarbons like butane). Although wet gas must be treated to remove the other hydrocarbons and other condensates before it can be transported, it can increase producers' revenues because they can sell those removed products.

The two primary technological advances that made production and other tight formations economically possible were horizontal drillings and hydraulic fracturing.

EXPLORATION.

Oil and gas exploration encompasses the processes and methods involved in locating potential sites for oil and gas drilling and extraction. Early oil and gas explorers relied upon surface signs like natural oil seeps, but developments in science and technology have made oil and gas exploration more efficient. Geological surveys are conducted using various means from testing subsoil for onshore exploration to using seismic imaging for offshore exploration. Energy companies compete for access to mineral rights granted by governments by either entering a concession agreement, meaning any discovered oil and gas are the property of the producers, or a production-sharing agreement, where the government retains ownership and participation rights. Exploration is high risk and expensive, involving primarily corporate funds. The cost of unsuccessful exploration, such as one that consisted of seismic studies and drilling a dry well, can cost $5 million to $20 million per exploration site, and in some cases, much more. However, when an exploration site is successful and oil and gas extraction is productive, exploration costs are recovered and are significantly less in comparison to other production costs.

Proven reserves measure the extent to which a company thinks it can produce economically recoverable oil and gas in place, at a certain point in time, using existing technology. The estimates for proven reserves are updated over the life of a lease, based on regular reassessments. Technology can impact the estimates, In addition to technology, prices, and existing infrastructure influence reserve estimates.

PRODUCTION

Oil and gas production is one of the most capital-intensive industries: It requires expensive equipment and highly skilled labor. Once a company identifies where oil or gas is located, plans begin for drilling. Many oil and gas companies contract with specialized drilling firms and pay for the labor crew and rig day rates. Drilling depths, rock hardness, weather conditions, and distance of the site can all affect the drilling duration. Tracking data using smart technologies can help with drilling efficiency and well performance by providing real-time information and trends. While every drilling rig has the same essential components, the drilling methods vary depending on the type of oil or gas and the geology of the location.

Onshore

In onshore drilling facilities, the wells are grouped in a field, ranging from a half acre per well for heavy crude oil to 80 acres per well for natural gas. The group of wells is connected by carbon steel tubes which send the oil and gas to a production and processing facility where the oil and gas are treated through a chemical and heating process. Onshore production companies can turn on and off rigs more easily than offshore rigs to respond to market conditions.

Offshore

Offshore drilling uses a single platform that is either fixed (bottom supported) or mobile (floating secured with anchors).19 Offshore drilling is more expensive than onshore drilling, and fixed rigs are more expensive than mobile rigs.20 Most production facilities are located on coastal shores near offshore rigs.

Hydraulic Fracturing

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is a technique using a high-pressure liquid to extract oil or gas from geologic formations. While the technology has existed since the 1940s, it became more economical in the late 1990s when the slick water fracturing technology came into use for oil production. The use of fracking has led to recovering gas, followed by oil, from previously inaccessible parts of drilled wells in addition to extractions from coalbed wells, tight sand formations, and shale formations.