Home > Oil & Gas > Article

Mexico’s Main Fields

Tue, 01/22/2013 - 14:59

KU-MALOOB-ZAAP

Ku-Maloob-Zaap, or KMZ, is composed of three fields, Ku, Maloob, and Zaap, discovered in the Campeche basin in 1980, 1984, and 1991, and has become Mexico’s main oil-producing field since the decline of Cantarell. KMZ recorded an average oil production of 855,139 b/d in 2012 (one-third of the country’s total production). With the decline of Ku since 2008 and Zaap reaching its production plateau in 2009, Maloob has become increasingly important to maintain the asset’s production growth. KMZ’s reserves are estimated at 6.49 billion barrels of crude and 2.24 tcf of gas, and production is expected to decline by 2017. Pemex is aiming to maintain constant production around 850,000 b/d in years to come.

CANTARELL

Located 70km off the coast of Campeche, Cantarell began producing heavy oil in 1979, and was Mexico’s main producing field until 2009. In 2003, Cantarell peaked with average production of 2.21 million b/d, and has been declining ever since. The field yielded a daily average of 454,107 b/d in 2012, which accounted for 17.8% of the country’s total oil production. This represents a 9.5% decrease from 2011. Its gas production averaged 1 bcf/d, which accounted for 15.7% of the country’s total production, but marking a 6.7% decline from 2011. The asset still holds 5.04 billion barrels of crude and 2.19 tcf of gas in 3P reserves.

ABKATÚN-POL-CHUC

Located in the Campeche basin, the Abkatún-Pol-Chuc asset started production in 1980. Considered a set of mature fields, production in the asset is water-driven, so water injection techniques are being used to extract hydrocarbons from the estimated 1.24 billion barrels of crude and 2.02 tcf of gas in 3P reserves. In 2012, Abkatún-Pol-Chuc yielded 266,248 b/d of super-light oil – ranging from 37°API to 40°API in viscosity and amounting for 10.4% of the country’s total production. The asset also produces 523.45 mcf/d of gas, which amount for 8.2% of Mexico’s natural gas production.

LITORAL DE TABASCO

Discovered in 1989 in the southwestern area of the Campeche basin, Litoral de Tabasco consists of 11 fields that produce light and super-light oil and condensates with a viscosity of between 30°API and 51°API. The fields in the asset hold 3P reserves of 2.80 billion barrels of oil and 13.98 tcf of gas, and are currently producing at an average of 319,219 b/d, or 12.5% of the country’s total oil production, and 735.77 mcf/d, or 11.5% of the country’s total gas production.

SAMARIA-LUNA

Located 20km northwest of Villahermosa, Tabasco, the 15 fields of Samaria-Luna have been heavy and extra-heavy oil producers since 1960. During 2012, these fields yielded an average of 205,128 b/d of oil, which represent 8.1% of the country’s total oil production, and 695.9 mcf/d of gas, which amount for 10.9% of the country’s total natural gas production. The asset is still believed to hold 1.56 billion barrels of oil and 3.88 tcf of gas in 3P reserves.

CHICONTEPEC

Located in northern Veracruz and northeastern Puebla, Chicontepec consists of several unconventional fields that were first discovered in 1926. Following a major discovery in 1973, Chicontepec has grown in importance to the point where today, it is a major target in Pemex’s search for production growth. Its 3P reserves stand at 10.71 billion barrels of oil and 27.63 tcf of gas. In 2012, Chicontepec’s production average reached 68,557 b/d of oil, or 2.7% of the country’s total oil production; gas production average in the basin was 148.8 mcf/d, or 2.3% of the country’s total natural gas production.

BELLOTA-JUJO

Located in the southern region of the country, Bellota-Jujo produced an average 130,346 b/d of light oil, which is around 5.1% of the country’s total production, and 297.36 mcf/d, or 4.7% of the country’s total gas production, during 2012. Probable reserves for the field are estimated at 1.30 billion barrels of crude and 2.34 tcf of gas.

MACUSPANA-MUSPAC

Located near Coatzacoalcos, the Macuspana-Muspac asset began producing light oil in 1972. In 2012, it produced an average of 76,755 b/d, or 3% of the country’s total oil production and 542.87 mcf/d, or 8.5% of Mexico’s natural gas production. The asset’s 3P reserves are estimated at 290 million barrels of crude and 2.3 tcf of gas, which has helped Pemex to maintain a positive outlook on the production future of this complex. Macuspana’s facilities were renovated in 2009

POZA RICA-ALTAMIRA

Discovered in 1926, the Poza Rica-Altamira block consists of 73 producing fields that yield an average of 67,770 b/d of oil, or 2.7% of the country’s total oil production, and 119.95 mcf/d of gas, which translate into 1.9% of the country’s total natural gas production. Its importance lies in the amount of hydrocarbon reserves still at the asset, which are estimated at 258.7 million barrels of crude and 385.4 bcf gas in 1P reserves, and 919.6 million barrels of oil and 1,509.4 bcf of gas in 3P reserves.

CINCO PRESIDENTES

By optimizing production infrastructure and the discovery of new wells in the past two years, Pemex managed to obtain average production of 95,980 b/d at Cinco Presidentes, or 3.8% of the country’s total oil production, and 116.26 mcf/d, or 1.8% of the country’s total natural gas production, during 2012. Probable reserves for this Tabasco-based asset are estimated at 333 million barrels of oil and 468 bcf of gas.

BURGOS

Historically the main natural gas producing asset in the country, Burgos is located in northeastern Mexico, in the states of Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, and Coahuila. During 2012, Burgos produced 19.9% of the country’s natural gas, with an average production rate of 1.27 bcf/d. It also produces oil, but in trivial quantities, with an average output of 4,771 b/d in 2012, thus accounting for 0.2% of the country’s total oil production. 3P reserves at the field are estimated at 8.4 million barrels of crude and 3.79 tcf of gas.

VERACRUZ

The Veracruz asset is one of the prospective areas for shale gas development in the country. Currently producing 3,962 b/d of crude, which barely amounts to 0.2% of total oil production in the country, and 601.34 mcf/d, or 9.4% of total natural gas production, the asset is expected to hold 111.3 million barrels of crude and 809.6 tcf of gas in 3P reserves.

PERDIDO

The main province for deepwater hydrocarbons in Mexico, the Perdido folded belt, is expected to contain up to 13 billion boe in prospective resources. The first major oil discoveries were made last year at Trion and Supremus, adding 482.4 million boe and 98 million boe of 3P reserves. Two more deepwater wells are currently being drilled in the area.

HOLOK-TEMOA

Composed of recent discoveries, Tabscoob, Noxal, Lakach, Labay, Leek, Piklis, Kunah, and Lalail, the Holok-Temoa asset is located at the Catemaco folded belt and has reserves of 1.5-2 bcf of gas, as well as 300-400 million boe of 3P reserves. Lakach is scheduled to become Mexico’s first natural gas producing deepwater field by 2015.

Located 130km northwest of Ciudad del Carmen, near Ku-Maloob-Zaap, the Ayatsil-Tekel complex has total reserves of 1.62 million boe and 1P reserves of 544 million boe. Discovered in 2006, it was labeled as the largest heavy oil discovery of recent times and is slated to start production in 2014, likely peaking at 120,000 b/d production from reservoir at a depth of 3,300-4,240 m.