Выполнить задание

UNIT 2

OIL AND GAS RESERVES

Oil and gas exist in the pore spaces of rock in the subsurface of the earth. How much oil or gas can be recovered from the rock is а function of rock properties, technology, and economics. Even when it is technically feasible to remove oil or gas from а specific reservoir, the costs involved in doing so may exceed the value of the oil or gas recovered at projected prices. In this case, the oil or gas is uneconomic and will not be developed.

The total amount of oil or gas in the reservoir is called original oil or gas-in-place. For а specific reservoir, engineers estimate this amount with information about the size of the reservoir trap and properties of the rock (which can be sampled and tested). Some of the original oil and gas deposited millions of years ago has been discovered, while some remains undiscovered (the target of future exploration).

Discovered (or known) resources can be divided into proved reserves and prospective or unproved (probable and possible) resources. "Proved reserves" are the quantities of oil or gas from known reservoirs and expected to be recoverable with current technology and at current economic conditions. Prospective resources are those that may be recoverable in the future with advanced technologies or under different economic conditions.

As noted above, three factors affect the amount of oil or gas that can be recovered from а known reservoir — rock properties, technology, and economics. While the industry cannot change the properties of the rock, it can develop new techniques to remove more oil from the rock. The industry has made significant advances to enhance recovery from known reservoirs, adding to the reserves base. When prices rise, marginal reservoirs can be developed economically, adding to the reserve base.

Reserves will also grow as more oil and gas deposits are found around the world. Continental North America and much of continental Europe have already been explored heavily, and any new discoveries are likely to be small. But many areas of the " globe are largely unexplored and many large new deposits are waiting to be found. Companies have experienced major success in discovering significant new oil and gas reservoirs offshore Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, off the western coast of Africa, Russia, and many areas of Asia and the Pacific. These are just а few of the current areas of growth. Most observers agree that significant deposits of oil and gas remain undiscovered in the Middle East.

The oil and gas industry uses advanced technology to aid in the search for the resources that will meet growing world energy needs. Technology advances enable more accurate drilling and extraction of а higher percentage of oil and gas from each field, extending the life of each well. Advanced technology also allows development of resources that were not previously economically viable, such as deep-sea fields, unconventional natural gas, and oil and gas in very deep reservoirs. Together, these new sources of oil and gas will replace production from existing wells as they decline, and help to assure adequate oil and gas supplies to meet world energy needs for the foreseeable future.

2.3. Answer the questions on the text:

l. Where do oil and gas exist? 2. What is called original oil- or gas-in-place? 3. How do engineers estimate the amount of the original oil- or gas-in-place? 4. What types are discovered (or known) resources divided into? 5. How many factors affect the amount of oil or gas that can be recovered from а known reservoir? What are they? 6. Where have companies discovered significant oil and gas reserves? 7. What aids in the search for new oil and gas sources and development of resources, that were not previously economically viable?

2.4. Translate the following words and phrases into English:

недра земли, технически осуществимо, превышать, размер ловушки, свойства породы, современная технология, в сегодняшних экономических условиях, нефть и газ, образованные миллионы лет назад, обнаруженные запасы, и достоверные, доказанные запасы, возможные, вероятные запасы, передовая технология, технические достижения, стоимость, экономически выгодный, цель.

2.5. Match а word in column А with its synonym in column В:

2.7. Choose the suitable word(s) in brackets. Both answers may be correct.

1. The total amount of oil or gas in the (а. reservoir, b. reserves) is called original oil- or gas-in-place.

2. Most observers agree that significant (а. deposits, b. wells) of oil and gas remain undiscovered in the Middle East.

3. Even when it is technically feasible to remove oil or gas from а specific reservoir, the (а. costs, b. prices) involved in doing so may exceed the value of the oil or gas recovered at projected (с. costs, d. prices).

4. When prices rise, marginal (а. reservoirs, b. fields) can be developed economically.

5. New sources of oil and gas will replace (а. production, b. recovery) from existing wells as they decline, and help to assure adequate oil and gas supplies to meet world energy needs for the foreseeable future.

6. Reserves will also grow as more oil and gas (а. deposits, b. wells) are found around the world.

7. Oil and gas exist in the pore spaces of (а. rock, b. traps) in the subsurface of the earth.

8. Advanced technology also allows development of deep-sea (а. properties, b. fields)

2.8. Retell the text, using the questions from exercise 3 as а plan.