Varadero West

Location

The Varadero Oil Field is located in Matanzas, Cuba, with the specific coordinates being 23.147, -81.343 (WGS 84).

Operator and Ownership

The Varadero Oil Field is operated and owned by CUPET (Cubapetroleo), which is the state-owned oil company of Cuba.

Discovery and Production

• The field was discovered in 1971.
• While the exact year of production start is not specified, the field has been in operation for several decades.
• Production from the Varadero Oil Field, including the Varadero West area, has been significant, with cumulative production reaching 231 million barrels of oil by 2018.

Reserves

• The oil in place at the Varadero Oil Field is estimated at 11,300 million barrels as of 2015.
• The proven reserves are estimated at 7,314.67 million barrels as of 2017.

Production Techniques

• The oil fields in the Varadero area, including offshore fields, are accessed using slant and horizontal drilling techniques. This method allows for drilling behind and out of sight of the Varadero peninsula, minimizing the visual impact on the tourist area.

Infrastructure and Facilities

• The production from the Varadero area benefits from new oil treatment facilities at Puerto Escondido and a new pipeline from the Varadero area to the Matanzas supertanker port, which were completed or planned in the early 2000s to alleviate production limits.
• The oil is processed in a way that removes sulfur from the heavy crude, and the recovered gas is used to fuel turbines in low-yield generation facilities in Boca de Jaruco and Varadero. This process, completed in 2004, is environmentally cleaner and helps capture emissions and particulates.

Production Levels

• The Varadero West blocks, along with other areas, have contributed to significant increases in Cuba's domestic oil production. Sherritt International Corp., a key joint-venture operator, reported a net production average of 13,143 barrels per day in 1999, which was a record at the time.

Challenges and Future Prospects

• Despite the production increases, exploratory drilling in Cuba remains at a low level. The country faces challenges in securing appropriate technology due to U.S. export control regulations.
• Cuba is actively seeking to increase interest in its offshore blocks, including those in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and western Straits of Florida. However, U.S. economic sanctions prohibit American firms from participating.

Environmental Considerations

• The oil production in the Varadero area is managed to minimize environmental impact, particularly since the fields are contiguous to Cuba’s major tourist destination. The use of slant and horizontal drilling techniques and the removal of sulfur from heavy crude help in maintaining a cleaner environment.