Bahrain Discovers Largest Oil Field With 80 Billion Barrels In Reserves

Bahrain officials have revealed that the tiny gulf kingdom has discovered some 80 billion barrels of shale (otherwise known as tight) oil - the kingdom's largest oil and gas find ever. The field also discovered 14 trillion cubic feet of natural gas beneath an existing field.

Oil Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Khalifa said the kingdom has not yet determined how much of the oil can be easily extracted, according to the Associated Press.

Bahrain

The oil fields were discovered in the offshore Khalij al-Bahrain Basin, which covers some 770 square miles in the shallow waters off Bahrain's west coast.

The underwater shale would dwarf the country's existing reserves.

According to figures from the US Energy Administration, Bahrain currently pumps about 45,000 barrels a day from its Bahrain Field. It also shares income from a deposit with Saudi Arabia that produces about 300,000 barrels a day.

"Initial analysis demonstrates the find is at substantial levels, capable of supporting the long-term extraction of tight oil and deep gas," the Sheikh said.

He added during the news conference, which was held in Manama on Wednesday, that Bahrain's National Oil and Gas Authority hoped to lure foreign oil and gas firms to develop the field where the reserves were found, per the BBC.

Map

Bahrain has been pumping oil since 1932 and was among the first Arab Gulf states to extract oil.

According to the Guardian, industry consultants DeGolyer and MacNaughton (Demac) have worked with Bahrain to evaluate the newfound reserves. 

"Demac evaluated the reservoir and test data, evaluated volumetric and recovery potential, and provided reports documenting both prospective and contingent resources. This is a project which breaks new ground for the industry," a spokesperson said.

The country has not historically been a major oil producer - but the new field, which officials said could come online within five years, has the potential to dramatically change that. According to the initial estimates, the oil deposits are roughly the size of Russia's oil deposits.

It could also help bolster the sagging Bahrainian economy, which has suffered from low oil prices and unrest among the majority Shia population. The country, like most of its neighbors, is run by a Sunni monarchy, and low oil prices have forced it to cut back on popular government handouts, leading to a some unrest.

Comments

vato poco Thu, 04/05/2018 - 04:20 Permalink

that whole "oil comes from dead dinosaurs" theory not lookin too good these days. I wonder what *other* religiously-believed theories will be proven to be wrong soon?

Crazy Or Not Haus-Targaryen Thu, 04/05/2018 - 05:02 Permalink

Bahrain's long existing "Well #1" covers about 80% of the land mass of the Main Island. There have been reports for some time of fields in the *Disputed* waters between Bahrain and Qatar.....now that Qatar is in the International Community doghouse for paying Bllions to Iran for hostages...is an opportune time to assert a claim over said waters.

https://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2012/12/bahrain-80-years-and-still-pr…

In reply to by Haus-Targaryen

D503 Arnold Thu, 04/05/2018 - 10:41 Permalink

"the kingdom has not yet determined how much of the oil can be easily extracted,"

 This is the only statement that matters. Anyone can say they've discovered "X" but they just can't determine how to deliver "X" and prove their claim. 

It's insane watching you people bullshit about "dead dinosaurs" when that was merely how it was explained to children,  meanwhile you can't even read the second paragraph in an article. 

Even if every barrel was recoverable it's only good for ~2 years of consumption,  at current rates of consumption.

That means no growth people.

In reply to by Arnold

Adolph.H. Crazy Or Not Thu, 04/05/2018 - 06:30 Permalink

Nice discovery, did they used this method to get to their findings:

http://metro.co.uk/2018/04/03/man-filmed-sex-ninth-hole-golf-course-743…

I wonder how this will play out with the Saudi and their depleted fields whereas they have problems with the empty shell that is the upcoming Aramco IPO...

Will they invade or invite them in their love hotel near Riyadh to drill some more holes?

 

In reply to by Crazy Or Not

skbull44 Adolph.H. Thu, 04/05/2018 - 06:46 Permalink

If actual 'estimate' is accurate, and if it is all 'recoverable', that is about 800 days of world supply at current consumption which increases every year...so maybe about 2 years worth.

'Discoveries' have fallen off a cliff over the years and although these finds are marketed as yet another indication oil is in infinite supply, the truth is quite different.

If oil were so abundant and its accessibility so easy and inexpensive, the US Empire would not be invading and occupying Middle Eastern countries...

 

https://olduvai.ca

In reply to by Adolph.H.

PT Adolph.H. Thu, 04/05/2018 - 06:55 Permalink

I'm hearing some terrifying things about Bahraini terrrrsts and Bahraini weapons of mass destructions and Bahraini govt murdering their own peoples in terrifying manners and, and, and ... GASP!!!!  Bahraini Hackers!!!!!!!

I think Bahraini hackers infiltrateted Farcebook and made Hitlery lose the electionss!

In reply to by Adolph.H.

Someone Else Haus-Targaryen Thu, 04/05/2018 - 06:45 Permalink

Ready or not, they are getting "free" if the US has to kill every one of them and destroy every building to do it. Just like in Iraq, Libya and Syria.

 

Because after all its only with chaotic rule, smaller populations and eliminated infrastructure that you CAN be free and less dependent on......things.....right?  So America will be doing them a SERVICE with all this freedom.  And all the American military people pushing the buttons, dropping the bombs and pulling the triggers are of course heroes  making US free at HOME.

 

In reply to by Haus-Targaryen

gwar5 OutaTime43 Thu, 04/05/2018 - 07:15 Permalink

Actually you can create oil from rocks. Pretty simple formula if my memory serves:

CaCO3 + extreme Heat + extreme Pressure = Oil  

It's already been done in the lab recreating the conditions found in the Earth.

The other interesting thing about oil deposits, the Russians discovered long ago, is that the element Helium is usually found in high amounts with the oil deposits. But Helium is so light it should not be there because it wouldn't go down with the dinosaurs unless, of course, it was following the oil on its way up to the surface from cracks in the crust. That's the theory anyway. The other thing is that oil wells pumped dry often fill with more oil after some years go by.

Dinosaur oil theory takes a Mulligan on all of that. I think T. Boone Pickens was a proponent of abiogenic oil.

 

 

In reply to by OutaTime43

PT gwar5 Thu, 04/05/2018 - 07:48 Permalink

Something is missing from that formula.  Add some Hydrogens, that will help.

EDIT:  Some red arrows I MIGHT rightfully deserve, but pointing out a lack of Hydrogens in a formula that supposedly shows us possible origins of HydroCarbons???

Last chance, Ca(HCO3)2 ????  I really don't know but you definitely need some Hydrogens there somewhere.  Or does the Calcium undergo nuclear disintegration?  That might work ...

In reply to by gwar5