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At the time of the accident Sedco 135F was drilling at a depth of about 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) below the seafloor. Every time I hear the depths from which oi

At the time of the accident Sedco 135F was drilling at a depth of about 3,600 metres (11,800 ft) below the seafloor. Every time I hear the depths from which oil is extracted it makes me think the Russians might be right in with their abiogenic theory of oil formation. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenic_petroleum_origin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiogenic_petroleum_origin

wcoenen 16y ago
The reason that deep drilling is done is not because there is an abiogenic origin for that oil. There has never been evidence of oil wells replenishing themselves in human time scales. Instead, oil production from any given well always follows a relatively predictable depletion profile. The real reason for deep drilling is that the alternative easier sources are either already mostly gone or more expensive/slower to extract. There is still plenty of "difficult" oil left. Unfortunately there are signs that most of it is not economic to extract at prices which the global economy can support. I think this is what caused the current recession and volatile oil prices, and it is only going to get worse. See also http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6517 http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6517
- euroclydon 16y ago
  I never have made the connection b/w oil wells replenishing themselves and an abiogenic petroleum origin. Abiogenic formation could take a very long time. It's my understanding that Russians, when extracting oil from under deep rock, formulated the theory that it was more likely that the petroleum came from within the earth, that from above.
- wcoenen 16y ago
  By the way, Obama mentioned this in his recent speech on the spill. Quote: "After all, oil is a finite resource. We consume more than 20 percent of the world's oil, but have less than 2 percent of the world's oil reserves. And that's part of the reason oil companies are drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean: because we're running out of places to drill on land and in shallow water." (see http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewnewspaged/articleid/4218032/pageid/1 http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewnewspaged/articleid... for full transcript.)

wcoenen 16y ago

The reason that deep drilling is done is not because there is an abiogenic origin for that oil. There has never been evidence of oil wells replenishing themselves in human time scales. Instead, oil production from any given well always follows a relatively predictable depletion profile. The real reason for deep drilling is that the alternative easier sources are either already mostly gone or more expensive/slower to extract. There is still plenty of "difficult" oil left. Unfortunately there are signs that most of it is not economic to extract at prices which the global economy can support. I think this is what caused the current recession and volatile oil prices, and it is only going to get worse. See also http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6517 http://www.theoildrum.com/node/6517

euroclydon 16y ago
I never have made the connection b/w oil wells replenishing themselves and an abiogenic petroleum origin. Abiogenic formation could take a very long time. It's my understanding that Russians, when extracting oil from under deep rock, formulated the theory that it was more likely that the petroleum came from within the earth, that from above.
wcoenen 16y ago
By the way, Obama mentioned this in his recent speech on the spill. Quote: "After all, oil is a finite resource. We consume more than 20 percent of the world's oil, but have less than 2 percent of the world's oil reserves. And that's part of the reason oil companies are drilling a mile beneath the surface of the ocean: because we're running out of places to drill on land and in shallow water." (see http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewnewspaged/articleid/4218032/pageid/1 http://www.istockanalyst.com/article/viewnewspaged/articleid... for full transcript.)