Bolivar Coastal Field

Bolivar Coastal
Country Venezuela
Region South America
Offshore/onshore Onshore
Field history
Discovery 1917
Start of production 1922

Bolivar Coastal Field is the largest oil field in South America with its 6,000-7,000 wells and forest of related derricks, stretches thirty-five miles along the north-east coast of Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela.[1]

Before 1900, Venezuela was known to possess commercial quantities of petroleum. One major find was the 'Zumaque 1' well in 1914,[2] in the area of Mene Grande, Maracaibo Basin, about 50 miles (80 km) southeast of Cabimas (Zulia State). Discovered in 1917, the Bolivar Coast Field produces from Miocene and Eocene sandstones across well platforms in the shallow lake. The blowout of the Barroso No. 2 well in Cabimas in 1922[3] marked the beginning of Venezuela's modern history as a major oil producer. The field is thought to have a total of approximately 30-32 billion barrels of oil.[4] Portions of the oil field have already been fully depleted.[2][5]

The Bolivar Coast field still plays an important role in production from the nation with approximately 2.6 million barrels of oil a day.[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Harry Bockmeulen, Colin Barker, and Parke A. Dickey (February 1983). "Geology and geochemistry of crude oils, Bolivar coastal fields, Venezuela". AAPG Bulletin 67 (2): 242–270. doi:10.1306/03b5acf5-16d1-11d7-8645000102c1865d.
  2. 1 2 es:Municipio Baralt (Zulia, Venezuela) (Spanish)
  3. ↑ The Royal Dutch ­ Shell Group of Companies in Venezuela, 1913-1922
  4. ↑ "The List: Taking Oil Fields Offline". August 2006.
  5. ↑ The Royal Dutch ­ Shell Group of Companies in Venezuela, 1913-1922
  6. ↑ "Top Ten Highest Producing Oil Fields". Oil Patch Asia. Retrieved 7 January 2014.

External links


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