oilalongside

Oilalongside is a term used in petroleum engineering and energy policy to describe the simultaneous production of crude oil with another hydrocarbon, most commonly natural gas, from the same reservoir. The term highlights the integration of oil and gas streams in both subsurface and surface facilities, and it is often contrasted with oil-only developments or pure gas projects. While not universally standardized in terminology, oilalongside is widely understood as co-production of multiple hydrocarbons from a single field.

Co-produced fluids require reservoir management strategies that maintain favorable pressure and control water production, sand production, and gas handling. Surface facilities are designed to separate oil and gas, then treat and transport each stream. Typical surface configurations include separators, gas dehydration units, compressors, multiphase pumps, and pipelines. If gas becomes a significant component, operators may reinject gas or utilize it for power, while oil is stabilized and metered for transport.

Co-production can improve project economics by sharing infrastructure, extending field life, and reducing per-barrel costs, but it also increases complexity, capital expenditures, and operational risk. Environmental considerations include methane emissions from gas handling and potential flaring; regulatory regimes may require gas capture or reinjection and limit venting.

Oilalongside is commonly discussed in offshore and mature onshore fields where oil and gas are produced together. The term is more of a descriptive concept than a formal industry category, and practitioners may describe the practice as co-production.