The Significant Oil and Gas Fields of the United States Database has not only set the standard for oil and gas field and reservoir databases during the past twenty-five years; it has revolutionized that standard. Our leadership in providing strategic information for upstream decisions is the result of our unique database design philosophy. We collect, develop, and organize data to meet the strategic information needs of the upstream oil and gas industry. Our corporate history is one of continuous innovation to enhance the ability of the database to meet these needs. Our most recent major innovations are described HERE.
The key features of the database include:
- Complete integration of information by field, major reservoir, and play
- Thoughtful organization (both geologic and geographic) of the data to facilitate a broad variety of data groupings
- Accurate economic field and reservoir production and size histories
- Wide range of relevant information
- Conceptually uniform variable definitions
- High rates of coverage by variable
- Thorough testing and editing
- Complete cross-referencing of our field codes and names to the IHS field names and codes
- Design that facilitates GIS applications
The Significant Oil and Gas Fields of the United States Database covers all producing provinces (basins) in the United States except the Appalachian Basin and the Cincinnati Arch. To facilitate data research, testing, and use, the database is divided into eight geographic regions: Gulf Coast Cenozoic, Gulf Coast Mesozoic, Gulf of Mexico, Illinois-Michigan, Midcontinent, Pacific (including Alaska), Permian, and Rocky Mountain. A map of these eight regions, tied to the AAPG-CSD geological provinces, can be found HERE.
The Significant Oil and Gas Fields of the United States Database provides information on all fields with an estimated ultimate recovery of 500,000 BOE (3 BCFE) or more. More than 16,600 fields are included in the current version of the database (fields discovered through 2009). Together these fields contain more than 99% of the known recoverable petroleum resources of the United States (excluding the Appalachian Basin)
The field-level data provided in the database consists of four basic types of information:
- General Field Information
- Field Discovery Well
- Field Production, Reserves, and Wells
- Field Original Oil-In-Place and Gas-In-Place
A detailed listing of the field-level data can be reviewed HERE.
The Significant Oil and Gas Fields of the United States Database provides information on all major reservoirs within the significant fields. A major reservoir (or major reservoir suite) is defined as any reservoir with an estimated ultimate recovery of 500,000 BOE (3 BCFE) or more. All reservoirs in smaller fields (less than 2.5 million BOE ultimate recovery) with an estimated ultimate recovery of 250,000 BOE (1.5 BCFE) or more are also included. Major reservoir suites (used most frequently in the Cenozoic of the Gulf Coast onshore and offshore) consist of two or more pools (sand bodies) in the same chrono-stratigraphic unit that have no substantial vertical separation among them or are separated horizontally by sealing faults. The current version of the database (discoveries through 2009) includes more than 25,500 major reservoirs.
The reservoir-level data provided in the database consists of five basic types of information:
- Reservoir Rock and Fluid Characteristics
- Reservoir Discovery Well
- Reservoir Production and Reserves
- Reservoir Original Oil-in-Place and Gas-in-Place
- Reservoir Oil Post-Primary Recovery Methods
A detailed listing of the reservoir-level data can be reviewed HERE.
The Significant Oil and Gas Fields of the United States Database incorporates a comprehensive set of play definitions (the first comprehensive play definitions to be defined for the United States). Every major reservoir in the database is assigned to one of 676 productive oil and gas plays. These plays, together with their general and specific play types, are listed in the NRGPLAYS table. This table is supplemented by the Geologic Cross- Reference table which indicates the formation code of every productive formation in each play.
Play location is provided by the Play Location #1 and Play Location #2 tables. The Play Location #1 table lists the state/districts, provinces, and counties covered by each play. The Play Location #2 table provides a set of latitude/longitude pairs of points sufficient to create an outline of each play.
The Play Characteristics Table provides summary information about every Nehring Associates play. This information consists of six types:
- Play Identification and Location
- Basic Play Geology
- Known (Current) Play Size (by BOE and individual products)
- Recent Play Growth
- Recent (2000–2009) Play Oil, Gas, and NGL Production
- Play Discovery History
New Fields Table
The New Fields table provides a comprehensive annual overview of the results of recent exploration and development activity in the United States. This table contains basic location, discovery well, reservoir, and field size class information about fields that have recently become or are likely to become significant. The current version of the New Fields Table includes information on 255 “suspense” fields, fields discovered through 2009 that are likely to become significant during the next several years when they begin production or undergo further development.
Library Tables
The Library Tables of the Significant Oil and Gas Fields of the United States Database provide the values for all the codes used in the field, reservoir, and play tables of the database. Codes are used only in the database tables where both common industry codes exist and are widely used (for example, the state/district, county, AAPG/CSD province, and formation codes), where the name signified by the code is too long and unwieldy to include in the database (for example, the NRG, U.S. Government, and GRI play codes), or where the use of a code value offers substantial convenience (for example, the field and reservoir size codes, the API operator, and the subprovince codes). Otherwise full variable names are used.
Updating, Upgrading, and Testing
Both the field and reservoir data in the database are updated annually. With each update, another year of production data for crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids and another year of well data are added. All estimates of known (ultimate) recovery and proved reserves are reviewed, updated, and revised as necessary. (Production and reserve data for small fields – those between 0.5 and 1.0 million BOE – are only updated every even year.) Data on new significant fields and new major reservoirs are also added.
Many field and reservoir variables are reviewed periodically and revised as necessary. When new data sources become available, we improve our data coverage. Periodically new variables are added to the database, such as year of first production in 2004. New features are also added, such as the Field Cross-Reference Table in 2004 and the Play Characteristics Table in 2010. Fundamental features of the database, such as the formation code system in 2002-2005, occasionally undergo systematic review and revision.
The current version of the database incorporates more than 175 person-years of intensive research. This research was conducted according to the rigorous standards for the database developed by Nehring Associates in discussion with the initial licensees of the database. Prior to each annual release, the database is thoroughly tested and edited to minimize omissions, research mistakes, and entry errors. Our thorough research and testing have been designed to enable our licensees to use the database with confidence.