What Would King Hubbert Think of the Hundred Trillion Barrels of Oil Equivalent In the Bazhenov Formation?
Brian Wang says there are over 100 trillion barrels of oil equivalent in the Siberian Bazhenov (Jurassic) formation. If that is true, that would give Russia the greatest hydrocarbon resources of all world nations.
O&G Journal
Brian Wang
Peak oil saint M. King Hubbard felt that, as a geologist, he was aware of the size and location of most of the important oil deposits in the planetary crust. Possessing such knowledge, he felt quite confident in predicting that global peak oil would occur sometime between the mid 1980s and the early 2000s.
But something happened on the way to the global peak oil catastrophe and civilisational collapse. Tools of oil & gas exploration and production did not stand still. Oil fields that were thought to be beyond development suddenly became profitable to exploit. Older oil fields thought to be depleted were found to be producing once again, with the application of new technologies. And now, just when they thought that all the giant oil fields had been discovered, we are suddenly faced with the reality of the Bazhenov Jurassic formation -- thought by some to contain over 100 trillion barrels of oil equivalent.
We should point out that in order to produce oil from this formation, it will be necessary to use fracking technology -- an approach that Russian President Putin has condemned, at least when utilised in North America. Perhaps Russian fracking will be acceptable to Vladimir Bonaparte Putin.
More from Brian Westenhaus
Geochemistry of Upper Jurrasic Lower Cretaceous Bazhenov Formation
Abstract of USGS Ulmishek study of the West Siberia Basin
Full 4.5 MB PDF Ulmishek USGS Report on West Siberia Basin
Peak oil saint M. King Hubbard felt that, as a geologist, he was aware of the size and location of most of the important oil deposits in the planetary crust. Possessing such knowledge, he felt quite confident in predicting that global peak oil would occur sometime between the mid 1980s and the early 2000s.
But something happened on the way to the global peak oil catastrophe and civilisational collapse. Tools of oil & gas exploration and production did not stand still. Oil fields that were thought to be beyond development suddenly became profitable to exploit. Older oil fields thought to be depleted were found to be producing once again, with the application of new technologies. And now, just when they thought that all the giant oil fields had been discovered, we are suddenly faced with the reality of the Bazhenov Jurassic formation -- thought by some to contain over 100 trillion barrels of oil equivalent.
Giant recoverable oil reserves contained in the fractures suggest that the Jurassic reservoir is a primary oil accumulation which has no analog all over the world. Therefore, we believe that Russia has the largest hydrocarbon reserves in the world. _O&G JournalWhether the amount of recoverable oil in the Bazhenov Jurassic is 100 billion barrels or 1 trillion barrels, it is significant enough to maintain production for at least a century of prudent management.
We should point out that in order to produce oil from this formation, it will be necessary to use fracking technology -- an approach that Russian President Putin has condemned, at least when utilised in North America. Perhaps Russian fracking will be acceptable to Vladimir Bonaparte Putin.
More from Brian Westenhaus
Geochemistry of Upper Jurrasic Lower Cretaceous Bazhenov Formation
Abstract of USGS Ulmishek study of the West Siberia Basin
Full 4.5 MB PDF Ulmishek USGS Report on West Siberia Basin
Labels: oil, oil from ancient seas
posted by al fin at 12:14 pm
5 Comments:
Am I reading that map correctly?
It appears that region where the oil is found was not all shallow sea, but a massive field of lava during the end of the Permian (the Siberian Traps).
http://econgeol.geoscienceworld.org/content/91/1/122.abstract
According to the above abstract, the Bazhenov was a marine basin connected to the oceans during the Jurrasic.
I would take the map with a grain of salt.
How much of this would be economically viable. Sounds like a cornacopian dream.
Whirlwind22:
The viability part will depend on the price of oil and the availability of technology. Case in point:
There is a small oil/gas company called Rexx energy. They have been recovering previously unrecoverable oil in old, 'dead' fields using a special polymer. It is sort of like pumping soap into the oil bearing formations and 'washing' the oil out.
More info here:
http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/press/2012/120425_innovative_doe.html
Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy announced today that an innovative technology has successfully improved oil recovery at a 106-year old Illinois field by more than 300 percent. This method of extraction could help pull as many as 130 million additional barrels of oil from the depleted field, which is past peak production using traditional drilling
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ASP flooding increased the overall oil cut in the 15-acre project area from 1 percent to 12 percent. Based on this potential, Rex Energy is expanding testing to a 58 acre portion of the field. In 2013, Rex Energy will continue the project, investing in ASP flooding technology at a 351-acre parcel immediately south of the current operations. Continued success and private investment in these ASP pilots may renew the life of the entire Lawrence field.
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