Early Start for Aramco's Manifa Megafield

摘要

Saudi Aramco began pumping heavy crude from its giant Manifa oil field ahead of schedule last week and plans to ramp up production to 500,000 barrels per day by July, the company said Monday. The state oil producer started output at Manifa on Apr. 10, saying it was three months sooner than planned -- although senior officials had recently penciled in the start-up for June (IOD Jan.22'13). Industry sources had anticipated that the field could start early, as the water injection process, which typically begins six months before first oil, had begun in October.