The total crude oil and condensate production in the Middle East in 2022 increased by 7.10% compared to 2021.
In 2022, Saudi Arabia had the highest crude oil production, followed by Iraq and the UAE, according to GlobalData.
Here is a list of the top crude oil-producing fields in the Middle East:
- Ghawar Field, Saudi Arabia Operator: Saudi Aramco
Located approximately 100km west of Dhahran and 200km east of Riyadh in Saudi Arabia’s Al Hasa Province, Ghawar is the world’s biggest conventional onshore oil field both by reserves and daily output.
Owned and operated by the state-owned Saudi Aramco, the super-giant oil field has been producing since 1951 and is estimated to continue pumping oil at its current maximum production capacity of 3.8 million barrels a day beyond 2050.
The Ghawar field produces Arabian light crude oil and has contributed more than half of Saudi Arabia’s cumulative crude production since 1938. It currently accounts for approximately one-third of the country’s maximum daily production capacity and more than one-fifth of the kingdom’s remaining proven oil reserves.
Ghawar is also the biggest source of associated gas for Saudi Aramco, while some of the major non-associated gas fields of the country are located in the greater Ghawar area as well.
- Greater Burgan Field, Kuwait
The Greater Burgan field comprises three major fields, namely Burgan, Magwa, and Ahmadi. It has three major reservoirs: Burgan, Maudud, and Wara, besides two small fields named Marrat and Minagish.
Discovered in February 1938, the Burgan field is one of the oldest and the world’s second biggest oil field after Saudi Arabia’s Ghawar oil field. Eight additional oil wells were drilled at the field between 1938 and 1942, but the operations were suspended until the end of World War II in 1945.
The Burgan field produces oil using enhanced recovery methods such as the injection of seawater and carbon dioxide. Several gathering centers (GCs) and gas booster stations (GBS) are located across the site. The GCs receive crude from the wells, stabilize it, and separate the contained gas and water. The Burgan field produces medium to light crude.
- Rumaila Oil Field, Iraq
The Rumaila oil field lies close to the Kuwait border, approximately 50km west of Basra in southern Iraq. With a capacity of 1.5 million barrels of oil a day (Mbopd), it is the world’s third biggest producing field and delivers approximately one-third of Iraq’s total oil supply.
The giant onshore field, which has been producing since 1954, is still left with an estimated 17 billion barrels of recoverable oil reserves.
The Rumaila field is operated by Rumaila Operating Organization (ROO), an unincorporated joint venture between the state-owned Basra Oil Company (BOC) (formerly South Oil Company of Iraq), BP, PetroChina, and the State Oil Marketing Organization (SOMO) of Iraq.
Since ROO became the new operator in 2010, the field has produced more than four billion barrels of oil, with daily output level increased by 40% as of June 2019. Development options are available to raise the output beyond 2Mbopd level, subject to an increase in international oil prices and withdrawal of forced production cuts by the Iraqi Government.
- Khurais Complex, Saudi Arabia Operator: Saudi Aramco
The Khurais oil field, located 250km southwest of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, is the second biggest oil field in Saudi Arabia, after the Ghawar oil field.
The onshore oil field’s production capacity was increased by 300,000 barrels per day (bpd) to 1.5 million barrels per day (Mbpd), as part of the $3bn Khurais Arabian Light Crude Increment Program, which was completed in late-2018.
Owned and operated by Saudi Aramco, the Khurais oil field has been in production since 2009.
The latest expansion project at Khurais involved the development of the lower Fadhli field, installation of new satellite facilities in the Abu Jifan and Mazalij fields, and the construction of the new Oil Train-5 adjacent to the Khurais central processing facility (CPF).
- Shaybah, Saudi Arabia Operator: Saudi Aramco
Shaybah is a producing conventional oil field located onshore Saudi Arabia and is operated by Saudi Arabian Oil. The field is located in the block Saudi Aramco Concession Area.
Saudi Aramco recently completed two major projects at Shaybah – both part of a mega-project series which were inaugurated in December last year.
The first project, a crude oil expansion project, increased Shaybah’s production of high-value Arabian Extra Light oil by 250,000 barrels per day, and raised the field’s total production capacity to 1 million barrels per day.
The second project increased the plant’s associated gas production capacity to 4,400 million standard cubic feet per day. Shaybah gas production serves profitability by freeing up crude oil for export.
- Safaniyah, Saudi Arabia Operator: Saudi Aramco
The Safaniya oil field, located in the Arabian Gulf in Saudi Arabia, is the world’s biggest conventional offshore oil field both by recoverable reserves and production capacity.
Owned and operated by state-run oil behemoth Saudi Aramco, the giant offshore field is capable of producing up to 1.3 million barrels of Arabian heavy crude a day.
Discovered in 1951, the Safaniya oil field has been producing since 1957. It was estimated to contain more than 34 billion barrels of recoverable oil equivalent and more than five trillion cubic feet of gas in recoverable reserves as of December 2018.
Saudi Aramco has continued to improve oil gathering facilities and use enhanced oil recovery methods as part of the Safaniya Master Development Plan in order to restore the production capacity of the mature field.
Aramco initiated the Safaniya Master Development Plan in the late 2000s to improve the oil recovery and operational efficiency at the mature field to sustain its maximum production capacity of 1.3 million barrels of oil per day (Mbopd).
The Safaniya field upgrade program called for the improvement of crude-gathering facilities and adequate electrification of platforms in the central and the north Safaniya field areas, apart from upgrading the existing wellheads and installation of electric submersible pumps for artificial lift.
- Upper Zakum, UAE Operator: ADNOC
The Upper Zakum Oil Field is the largest producing field in ADNOC’s portfolio. It is also the second-largest offshore oil field and the fourth-largest oil field in the world.
As part of ADNOC’s ambitious target to accelerate the delivery of its 2030 smart growth strategy, the company plans to increase the field capacity of Upper Zakum to 1 million barrels per day (mbpd) by 2024 through a mega-expansion project valued at $29.9 billion (AED 110 billion). This will amplify the UAE’s output as it aims to achieve a 5 million barrels per day production capacity by 2027, up from the existing 4 million bpd.
ADNOC is currently eyeing contractors to award a sizable contract for the megaproject.
The mega-project included the construction of four artificial islands in shallow water, which can accommodate 450 wells, 90 platforms, as well as drilling rigs, processing facilities, and infrastructure.
Driven by innovation and the need to reduce the environmental footprint, ADNOC pioneered and perfected the use of artificial islands to protect the marine environment during project expansion. Artificial islands use lower-cost land-drilling rigs instead of high-cost offshore jack-up drilling rigs, optimizing costs significantly, increasing operational efficiency, and minimizing environmental impact.
- Manifa, Saudi Arabia Operator: Saudi Aramco
The Manifa shallow water oil field, located off the northern Arabian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, is one of the world’s biggest producing oil fields.
Although the giant offshore oil field was originally brought on stream at a production capacity of 40,000 barrels of Arabia heavy crude oil a day (bopd) in 1964, its operations were suspended in 1984 due to the global economic downturn and low demand for Arabian heavy crude oil.
Saudi Aramco renewed the development of the Manifa field with a massive capital investment of £7.76bn ($10bn) in 2007, after the rise in global demand for oil.
Construction works on the Manifa field redevelopment project were started in 2008, while an initial production rate of 500,000 bopd was achieved in 2013.
- Zuluf, Saudi Arabia Operator: Saudi Aramco
Zuluf is a giant offshore oil field located in the Arabian Gulf, approximately 240km north of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
Owned and operated by the Saudi state-owned oil behemoth Saudi Aramco, the Zuluf field is undergoing a major expansion to add 600,000 barrels per day (bpd) of Arabian Heavy crude production by 2020.
Discovered in 1965, the shallow water oil field is located in 36m-deep waters and has been producing since 1973. The current maximum production capacity of the field is 800,000 bpd of Arab Medium crude oil.
With two main sandstone reservoir structures, namely Zuluf and Ribyan, the offshore oil field is estimated to contain more than 31 billion barrels of oil-equivalent (boe) in proven reserves.
The Zuluf oil field is developed with more than 270 producing wells and four offshore GOSPs capable of processing a total of 800,000 barrels of Arab Medium crude oil a day.
Originally built in 1983, the GOSP-3 was closed in 1995 due to low demand for Arabian Medium crude oil.
Saudi Aramco, however, decided to restart the plant in 2016, as a result of which the GOSP-3 was repaired and brought on stream in 2017. The plant has the capacity to process 250,000 barrels of oil and 100 million metric standard cubic feet (Mmscf) of gas a day.
A five-story residential platform with a total area of 3,750m² was also renovated as part of the GOSP-3 renovation project.
- Block 6, Oman Operator: Petroleum Development Oman
Block 6 is located in Dhofar, Oman. This crude oil field is owned by the Government of Oman, PTT Public Co, Shell, TotalEnergies, and operated by Petroleum Development Oman. The field produced 0.76mmbpd in 2022 and recovered 73.78% of its total recoverable crude oil and condensate reserves, with peak production in 2001. Based on GlobalData estimates, production will continue until the field reaches its economic limit in 2055.
