Discovery of the Ghawar field
Descubrimiento del campo de Ghawar
- Date
- 1948 · confidence medium
- Place
- Ghawar, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
- Credited to
- Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco)
- Field
- Cosmos & Earth
What was discovered
The Ghawar field, around 280 km long, is the largest known conventional oil field. Discovered in 1948 in a limestone anticline, it has produced since 1951 and has been the mainstay of Saudi output.
The discovery is dated to 1948 (Ain Dar well), with production from 1951; the exact size and reserves are a state secret and are estimated. Coordinates are those of the centre of the field.
What it led to
- seawater injection to maintain reservoir pressure
- Saudi production capacity as a regulator of the world market
- debate over 'peak oil' and Saudi reserve data