Sitting on a huge structural anticline and occupying an area of 780 sq. km., the Cretaceous reservoirs of the Great Burgan field still account for most of Kuwait’s oil.
The field extends around 800 km2.
It is comprised of 3 separate depth-structural closures - Ahmadi, Burgan and Magwa - near the crest of the north-south trending Kuwait Arch.
The 1st wells at Magwa and Ahmadi were drilled in 1951 and 1952, respectively.
Horizontal well drilling began at the Burgan field in 2005.
The Greater Burgan field is estimated to hold 67,183 million barrels of oil equivalent (Mboe) in recoverable hydrocarbon reserves.
Burgan has been pumping oil for 65 years or so, and like any other oil field, be it large or small, it will eventually be abandoned, but that day will probably be several decades hence.
The Cretaceous play in Burgan is still a supergiant field.
And with the application of improved recovery techniques, more of the oil in place can be produced. Moreover, the deeper Lower Cretaceous (Thamama Group) and Jurassic oil and Permian (Khuf) gas plays, which are proven and rich productive horizons in the Persian Gulf region, are yet to be rigorously explored in the Great Burgan field.