By Valery Sidorchikov
Speaking only of the economically profitable mining of hydrocarbons, forecasts show that volumes of these strategic fuel supplies are set to gradually fall. In particular, by 2030, Belarusian wells will only be yielding about 500,000-600,000 tonnes of oil annually. “The difficulty is that the large Belarusian oil deposits discovered in the 1960-1970s are nearing their end, while newly discovered deposits, sadly, lack such potential,” notes Valery Beskopylny, a doctor of geological-mineralogical sciences and assistant to the Director General of RUE Production Association Belorusneft.
Nevertheless, Belarusian and foreign scientists agree that no more than half of all potential Belarusian oil deposits have been detected. This is confirmed by the fact that the annual growth of developed deposits remains stable, at 80 percent of the existing mining level.
Positive forecasts regarding the future of the oil industry take into account ever improving methods of searching for and developing oil deposits. “Deposits at great depths are yet to be discovered, in addition to non-traditional deposits (as yet inaccessible). Possibilities for improving oil mining technologies have not been exhausted. We are extracting 30 percent of discovered oil from wells at present, while 70-80 percent is possible; reserves have further potential,” states Mr. Beskopylny.
