Oil & Gas Process
The oil and gas extraction industry can be classified into four major processes.
Oil & Gas Process
At this stage, the search for hydrocarbons beneath the ground entails geophysical prospecting for shale formations that hold deposits of oil and natural gas.
occurs after exploration has located an economically recoverable field, and involves the construction of one or more wells from the beginning (called spudding) to either abandonment if no hydrocarbons are found, or to well completion if hydrocarbons are found in sufficient quantities.
Liquid hydrocarbons extracted from wells are separated from the non-saleable components such as water and solid residuals. Natural gas is often processed onsite while oil is piped to a refinery before being offered for sale.
Production in the oil and gas industry is the last but one phase during which hydrocarbons are extracted from an oil or gas field and then first money (or revenue) comes from selling the oil or gas. Production in an oil field can last several years up to 30-40 years, depending on the size of the oil or gas field and how expensive it is to keep the wells and production facilities running.
Finally, site abandonment involves the removing of production facilities and restoring oil and gas sites that are no longer profitable. The term is usually used to refer to offshore facilities. Offshore oil and gas platforms can be vast structures requiring large amounts of materials in their construction. By bringing the facilities onshore for dismantling and disposal, these materials can be reclaimed.
