oilfield

An oilfield is a region of the Earth's crust where petroleum or natural gas is extracted. It typically contains one or more oil reservoirs, with wells drilled to bring hydrocarbons to the surface. Oilfields are characterized by geological formations such as sandstone, limestone, or carbonate reservoirs that store hydrocarbons along with surrounding rock and porous rock. The development of an oilfield includes exploration, appraisal, field development, drilling of production wells, installation of surface facilities, and optimization of production through artificial lift, enhanced oil recovery, and facilities for processing crude oil and natural gas.

Key components include exploration and appraisal wells, production wells, gathering systems, pipelines, processing plants, storage tanks, and support infrastructure like roads and power. Surface facilities include separators to separate oil, gas, and water, pipelines, tanks, and pumping stations. Subsurface techniques include reservoir characterization, drilling, completion, stimulation, and pressure management. Enhanced oil recovery methods such as water flooding, gas injection, or chemical methods may be employed to maximize recovery.

Oilfields can be onshore or offshore. Offshore fields involve production platforms, subsea infrastructure, and complex logistics. The economics of oilfields depend on reservoir size and quality, production rate, operating costs, and prevailing oil prices. Environmental and safety considerations include emissions, spill risk, land use, and regulatory compliance. The term “oilfield” may also refer to all facilities within a field boundary and the associated workforce.