T C O F M E: Daniel Romo

Revista Problemas del Desarrollo Volume 46, Number 183, October-December 2015 http://www.scielo.org.
mx/
THE CANTARELL OIL FIELD AND THE MEXICAN ECONOMY
1
Daniel Romo
Date received: January 5, 2015. Date accepted: April 20, 2015
Abstract
Major oil fields have played an essential role in the global hydrocarbon supply, but the majority are
now in decline. The Cantarell macro-reserve has produced significant volumes of hydrocarbons and
brought countless benefits to the country, but starting in 2004, the exhaustion of the Cantarell
supply began to affect the oil production platform. This research studies all of the factors that have
had an impact on the performance of this macro-reserve, which are fundamental to explain the
current state of affairs. The conclusion is that the management of the Cantarell oil field was less
than optimal during the three time periods identified in the paper, as decisions were made on a non-
technical basis, which contributed to the decline and the series of challenges facing the oil complex
today. These difficulties could, in turn, be mitigated through the use of technology.
Keywords: Oil, Cantarell, hydrocarbons, Pemex, investment.
I. INTRODUCTION
Worldwide, major oil fields have been an economic boon. However, many of them are now in
decline, which has prompted a search for solutions to prolong their lifespan or find alternative
sources to meet the oil demand, such as the exploitation of non-conventional crude.
Cantarell has long been among the top 100 oil field complexes on the planet, at one point
contributing 45% of worldwide production (Robelius, 2007: 77), but is now one of the reserves
currently in decline (Sorrel et al., 2012: 710). Cantarell has also been the source of the largest
volumes of oil extracted in Mexico since the end of the 1970s. However, by the end of 2004, the
supply began to become depleted, which led to a situation in which by mid-year, the oil field was
only producing 15.4% of the historical production peak reached in December 2003. In light of this
behavior, the question arises as to the rationale behind the speed of this decline. Some papers
have sought to explain the performance of the giant oil field from a technical perspective, including
documents published by Pemex, while others have taken a more institutional approach (Lajous,
2009), but none has thus far explored a structural analysis tied to the economic environment of the
country and its influence on the management choices made.
Revista Problemas del Desarrollo Volume 46, Number 183, October-December 2015 http://www.scielo.org.mx/
This paper aims to analyze the performance of the Cantarell oil field over time and its role, as the
cornerstone of the oil production platform, in Mexico’s economic development. This text is divided
into four sections. The first reviews the major factors that have affected the oil field’s performance
over time. The second recounts its recent history, aiming to identify the principal factors explaining
the current state of affairs. The third section analyzes the principal challenges facing the oil field
and its prospects for the future. Finally, this paper concludes that Cantarell has indeed been the
origin of significant financial resources that have underpinned Mexico’s economic growth, but
inefficient management derived from a series of shortsighted decisions played a major role in its
rapid decline and the challenges it now faces.
CANTARELL AND THE FACTORS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED ITS PERFORMANCE
Cantarell is the name that Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) gave to a cluster of oil wells located
offshore in the bay of the Mexican state of Campeche, encompassing a surface area of around
21,000 square kilometers. It has been one of the most productive fields, producing the highest
volumes of hydrocarbons and oil income Mexico has ever seen.
Reconnaissance works began offshore in 1966, but it was not until 1972 that conclusions were
reached as to the extent of the onshore wells in the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, although the
costs of exploration and drilling were six times as expensive as on the mainland. In the early stage,
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the structures for the Chac field were sketched out. Exploitation of these fields began on June 23,
1979, in the oil discovery well called Cantarell 2095, which had a 974-meter impregnated column.
That same year, average production at the Akal field reached 42 thousand barrels per day (mbd)
per well, production commenced at the Nohoch field with a volume of 4.3 mbd, and the Kutz field
was discovered. These events took place in an environment of high crude oil prices, thanks to the
political plight of Iran and disputes between the members of the Organization of the Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC), among other reasons, all of which stimulated oil activities in Mexico.
Initial oil production at Cantarell averaged 88 mbd in 1979, but this figure skyrocketed to 611 mbd
by 1980, thanks to progress made in the structural profile of the Campeche platform. In 1981, oil
production peaked at 1,156 mbd through the exploitation of only 40 wells, essentially by injecting
water into the reserve. High oil prices, mainly derived from the fact that the global oil supply was
restricted due to the Iran-Iraq conflict, constituted the principal reason driving Pemex to raise the
volume of crude produced, encouraging investment in the entire value chain of the national
industry.
In 1982, Mexico ran into liquidity problems and the government was crippled by a swollen public
finance deficit, but the production platform continued to ramp up, reaching 1.6 million barrels per
day (mmbd) in an international oil market with a surplus supply. In 1983, an additional tax burden
was imposed on Pemex, which began to have to pay the value added tax and the special tax on
production and services, such that its fiscal contributions rose from 16% in 1981 to 43% of all public
revenue in 1983. In the midst of public spending adjustments and efforts to reduce the fiscal deficit,
investment in the state enterprise fell (Romo, 2010: 417-444). However, operations at Cantarell
were prioritized within the Pemex portfolio, in particular, by increasing the number of producing
wells.
In May 1984, exploitation of the Ixtoc field began with an average production of 5.2 mbd. Moreover,
in 1987, artificial exploitation systems (pneumatic pumping) were installed, which permitted the
platform to maintain average production at 950 mbd. In those years, oil production acted as a
counterweight to Mexico’s weak financial situation, especially with regard to its public finances.
In the mid-1980s, the government began to liberalize the economy, followed by the privatization of
public enterprises and economic deregulation in the years to come. They also preserved public
spending cuts in order to reduce the financial deficit and increase the low investment in Pemex,
which led to an adjustment process in the Pemex portfolio of activities. The rate of exploration
operations was reduced and little attention was given to new investments in refining and
petrochemicals, favoring oil exploitation, an area in which Cantarell’s operations were especially
noteworthy. This change in the Pemex business model took place in an environment of an excess
supply of crude in the international oil market (Romo, 2011: 140).
In 1990, Mexico managed to renegotiate its foreign debt with favorable terms, reducing the financial
pressure on the government and the liabilities of the state oil enterprise, which were also included in
this renegotiation. However, the investment channeled towards Pemex only recovered slightly,
although Cantarell was one of the principal destinations for these resources. Between 1991 and
1994, investment in the mega complex accounted for around one-fifth of all of Pemex’s
expenditures on exploration and production, with the principal goals being to add new reserves,
maintain the production platform, increase the gas dehydration capacity, transport gas, and finish
the Nohoch C. drilling platform. In August 1991, production began at the Chac field, and in February
1993, exploitation commenced at the Balam field, both of which experienced major changes in
3
production in those early years.
When the crisis broke out at the end of 1994, the financial situation of the government was affected
once again, and new adjustments were made to public spending. However, unlike what happened
in previous years, additional investments were channeled into exploitation, especially at Cantarell.
The objective was to back the commitment agreed upon with international creditors, where oil was
granted as a guarantee for the loans obtained and to expand the flow of petrocurrency. In 1995,
Pemex had maintained its production platform at above the 1.0 mmbd achieved since 1990, but
with the new investment, it managed to average 1.3 mmbd between 1997 and 1999.
In 1996, Pemex implemented the Cantarell Optimization Project (POC) to maintain the production
capacity of the wells and reduce maintenance costs, supported by the increased participation of
4
private enterprises. The following year, Pemex launched the so-called Productive Infrastructure
Investment Projects with Deferred Expenditure Registration (PIDIREGAS), whose purpose was to
channel even more resources to strategic projects for the state oil company. One of these was the
5
Cantarell Project, aiming to improve its infrastructure and push production levels upwards by
injecting nitrogen. The justification for this decision was based on the fact that the energy for the
field came primarily from the secondary gas cap and it was believed that more energy was needed
to increase production, which could be obtained through this injection. This decision was
controversial, because although it was made on the basis of the economic benefits it would bring, in
light of the low price of nitrogen and the potential for reducing imports of natural gas (Lajous, 2009),
it was criticized from a technical perspective by experts who believed the reinjection of natural gas
to be the better choice (Garaicoechea, 2007: 4-6).
In an environment of low crude oil prices in the international market, which had persisted since
1998, and in a process of recovering from the two previous years, Pemex turned its attention
primarily towards investing in Cantarell, together with investing in other projects to drive oil and gas
6
production. In 1998, the Sihil block was discovered, below Akal, which came with the potential for
more than one billion barrels of crude oil equivalent (bbcoe), something like 5% of the original
reserves of the Akal field (Barton, 2009/2010: 28).
In the first four years of the PIDIREGAS scheme, an annual average of two billion dollars were
channeled to the Cantarell complex. In early 2000, the infrastructure was upgraded to optimize gas
7
exploitation and to expand drilling operations; nitrogen injections also commenced. Starting in
2002, the portfolio of projects for the exploration and exploitation of oil and natural gas was
expanded, including the notable Ek-Balam field, which was included in the Cantarell complex. As
such, the average annual investment rose to 2.4 bd between 2002 and 2007 and 3.8 bd between
2008 and 2013, representing the highest volumes ever invested in the state enterprise (see Figure
8
1), whose central pillar consisted of increasing the number of wells.
In December 2003, Cantarell hit a production peak of 2.2 mmbd, primarily thanks to the Akal field,
which contributed 95.2% of the total amount exploited at the complex (see Figure 2). At that point in
time, Mexico reached an all-time high in crude production. This giant field accounted for nearly two-
thirds of the national total and even reached number one in offshore production in the world, as well
as the number two macro producer, second only to the Saudi Arabian field Ghawar. In fact,
Cantarell averaged 2.3% of the global oil supply between 2000 and 2003, after having maintained a
percentage of only 1.4% between 1980 and 1999.
Figure 1. Investments in Cantarell and Relationship to Pemex
Source: Created by the author based on data from Pemex.
Figure 2. Oil Production at Cantarell. Thousands of Barrels Per Day.
Source: Created by the author based on data from Pemex.

At the end of 2004, as the Akal field became depleted, Cantarell began to decline, in spite of the
9
strategies implemented, investments made, and participation of private enterprises. The oil
production decline ran counter to the increase in natural gas production between 2004 and 2009.
One driver behind this behavior, in addition to the reorganization of the fluids at the field, was the
increase in nitrogen production, which by mid-2014 accounted for just over half of its total natural
gas production. The fall in hydrocarbon production at Cantarell was compensated for by increases
from other projects (Ku-Maloop-Zaap, Litoral Tabasco, and some fields in the Southern Region). In
10
2006, Pemex implemented additional measures to push exploitation at the macro field and
11
prevent further declines in crude production, but these were largely unsuccessful, as production
continued to fall. In 2008, when the Kambesah field was discovered and international oil prices
reached a historical peak, Mexico enacted changes to the legal framework for the state oil
12
enterprise to allow it to expedite its operations to procure goods and services, make use of
Comprehensive Exploration and Production Contracts, and initiate Corporate Governance efforts.
The National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) was created and the powers given to the Ministry of
Energy were revised, a situation that limited the management capacity of the oil company, because
13
it subjected the enterprise to greater oversight, control, and governmental follow-up, which in turn
further complicated decision-making with regard to projects at the oil company, especially those
taking place at the Cantarell complex.
THE CURRENT SITUATION OF CANTARELL
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As of mid-2014, the Cantarell complex consisted of the Nohoch, Chac, Akal, Kutz, Ixtoc, Takín,
Ek, Balam, Sihil, Kambesah, and Után fields, of which the latter was not producing. With the
exception of the Kambesah and Ixtoc fields, Cantraell produces heavy crude oil ranging from 12° to
24° API (American Petroleum Institute), with a high content of sulfur and metals. The reservoir rock
is clastic limestone and dolomitized carbonates, naturally fractured with high permeability and
porosity.
In general, the Cantarell fields have high rock permeability, broad thickness of impregnated rock,
and are located in strips of water no greater than 100 meters and at depths of up to more than
3,000 meters. It is considered a mature reserve, so its oil production is obtained with a high
percentage of water and rapid progress of contact with gas, which has led to a smaller oil window,
(Morales et al., 2014), varying from 60 to 100 meters.
The original volume of hydrocarbons contained at the Cantarell complex at the end of 2013 was
about 42.6 billion barrels of crude oil equivalent (bbcoe), 2.1% lower than the figure in 2002. This
puts the complex in the range of a super-giant field (Ivanhoe and Leckie, 1993: 87-91), although the
CNH has designated it as a “compartmentalized” field (Comisión Nacional de Hydrocarburos, 2013:
87).
Similarly, as of the end of 2013, the total 3P reserves of hydrocarbons was around 5.3 bbcoe, which
was 53% lower than what was reported in 2002. However, what was most alarming is the behavior
of 1P reserves, which fell from 9.0 to 2.2 bbcoe, a situation that runs contrary to the international
trend by which the growth in reserves tends to be highest in the largest, oldest, and in particular,
onshore fields (UK Energy Research Centre, 2009: 58). This decline in the proven reserves at
Cantarell is a reflection of the production obtained, but also of the administrative problems plaguing
15
the reservoir and its depletion, which has translated, among other factors, into water invasion. In
turn, the drop in reserves was a key factor in driving the diversification of the project portfolio at the
state oil company, including its incursion into deepwater operations, mature fields, and complexes,
such as the Tertiary Gulf Oil Project (previously known as Chicontepec).
Of the total proven reserves of oil, both liquid and condensate, the reserves located at the Akal field
were the most important as of the end of 2013, with 75% of the total at the Cantarell complex and
accounting for 16.9% of the national supply. The Akal field has 2P and 2P reserves, but it is also
the field that has experienced the greatest depletion of proven reserves over the years.
The number two field in terms of oil reserves was Sihil, followed by Ek, Ixtoc, and Kutz, which
together account for nearly one-fifth of the total 1P reserves of the complex. The fields with the
highest total reserves (3P) were Sihil, Ek, and Balam. It will be impossible to reverse the downward
trend of the remaining hydrocarbon reserves at Cantarell, unless an autonomous block is
discovered. Between 2001 and 2012, the discoveries reported in the three wells Után-1, Sihil-5, and
Ixtoc-22 added 223 mmbo of 3P reserves, of which a little over half corresponded to 1P reserves—
102.2 mmbo and 73 billion cubic feet (bcf) of natural gas—. Nor have major volumes of proven
reserves been added due to revisions.
Towards the end of 2014, crude oil production at the Cantarell Asset amounted to 351mbpd,
although the Akal field was depleted more rapidly than expected ULuhnow, 2007). For this reason,
its contribution to national oil production plummeted from a maximum in March 2005 of 65.5% to
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14.7% in September 2014. Additional oil production from the Sihil, Ek, and Ixtoc fields, the result
of the increase in the number of producing wells—especially in the first two cases since 2009—
17
was a relative compensation for the decline of the Akal field. These three fields ended up
contributing around 43% of the total crude production of the complex, after contributing only 1% in
2004. In turn, the Chac, Balam, and Kutz fields began to be depleted (see Table 1).
In summary, in mid-2014, the Cantarell Asset was contributing around 13% of the total crude
produced in Mexico and one-third of total heavy crude, as well as 34.2% of cumulative historical oil
production as of the end of 2013.
The exploitation pattern at Cantarell has not followed that of the other giant fields, which tend to
have a prolonged plateau period (ASPO, 2001: 5), as its annual rate of decline was 20.3% between
2006 and 2011, which contrasts with the international practice for this type of macro-reserve (of
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between 4% and 6%), or those located offshore, estimated at 10% (Höök, 2009: 2268). Pemex
justified the production decrease at Cantarell associated with its phase of maturity as a result of the
“…increase in the percentage of water and salt content in the crude currents…(and because)…the
thickness of the oil in the field is increasingly reduced and in some parts, the channels of gas and
water in the wells are higher…(and)…the effect of extracting gas in the transition zone in the
production of water and oil…” (Pemex PEP, 2012a: 5), a situation that led to the closure of certain
19
wells and the building of infrastructure to manage this water.
The oil recovery factor at Cantarell, defined as the ratio between the cumulative production and the
original volume of total reserves (3P), was 36.4% as of the end of 2013, a level similar to the global
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average of 35% (Babadagli, 2007: 222) and one of the highest in the country, but it escalated
since 2002, when the figure was at 23.5% due to the effect of increasing production and fewer new
reserves.
Natural gas production at the Cantarell Asset maintained a stable ratio to barrel of oil extracted
since the beginning of its exploitation until 2006, equivalent to 7.4% of natural gas per barrel of oil
obtained—measured in barrels of crude oil equivalent—, but since 2007, it began to rise to 34%,
until reaching an average of 39% between 2009 and 2013, a situation that can be attributed to the
aforementioned decision to inject nitrogen gas and reinject the sour gas, beginning in July 2004. In
this way, associated natural gas production rose gradually, from 566 mmcfd in 2000 to a peak of
1,627 mmcfd in 2008, to culminate at 1,002 mmcfd in 2013.
However, much of the production was nitrogen gas, because the ratio between nitrogen gas and
natural gas produced went from 18% in 2007 to 148% in 2013. Pemex was not prepared to deal
with this increase in gas production, because it did not have the appropriate infrastructure for this
level of exploitation, nor the capacity to separate out the nitrogen, a situation that led to two
problems:
1. The contamination of the natural gas—with nitrogen—generated pressure from major

consumers to offer discounts on firsthand prices. In response to this request, and two years
21
delayed in commencing operations, Pemex had to develop schemes to handle the
nitrogen and build a nitrogen-eliminating plant at the Gas Processing Complex in Pemex
22
City, Tabasco, with processing capacity of 630 mmcfd.
2. Increasing amounts of gas were released into the atmosphere as a result of flares starting
23 24
in 2001, a problem that was exacerbated over time, leading the National Hydrocarbons
Commission (CNH) to declare that this “was endangering” the optimal exploitation of
25
Cantarell. This problem also entailed not only an opportunity cost of exploiting natural gas
for Pemex, but also additional spending, because the wasted gas was taxed in the same
manner as the gas channeled for sale, a rather unreasonable situation, because it was the
government that decided not to invest in infrastructure for its management.
Starting in 2007, gas flaring and venting began to increase in a context of high fuel prices, reaching
maximum exploitation of 65.8% in 2009, equivalent to a total of unexploited gas of nearly 680
million cubic feet per day (mmcfd). In response to this problem, the CNH approved and published
technical provisions to prevent or reduce gas flares and venting during hydrocarbon exploration and
26
exploitation works. As a result, the state enterprise had to build additional infrastructure for gas
recovery or reinjection into the field, as other major measures. Starting in October 2011, the state
company began to meet its goals for the gas exploitation index of 96.6% set by the CNH, achieving
97.5%, as of the end of December 2012, but in a context of lower overall natural gas production.
The estimate of the losses due to gas flares at the Cantarell complex amounted to nearly 1.3 bd
27
between 2009 and 2012.
The total value of the hydrocarbons obtained at the Cantarell Asset as of the end of 2013 added up
28
to approximately 445 bd, which entailed a major contribution to national oil proceeds, as the
production costs were low from the time exploitation began until the early years of the last decade.
In effect, the original cost of production was 2.50 dollars per barrel (db), and starting in 2000, with
the recovery processes implemented, this cost rose to between 3.50 and 4.50 db, until it began to
29
average a little over 7.7 db between 2010 and 2012. Operations also became more expensive as
it became increasingly complex to access additional hydrocarbon sources and build the
30
infrastructure required to do so.
Of the value of the income obtained throughout the lifespan of the Cantarell Asset, nearly 73% was
earned between 1998 and 2013, a time period during which nearly 42 bd were invested, which
meant a little over 7.3 dollars in proceeds for each dollar invested.
It should be pointed out that, taking into account the behavioral pattern of an offshore field, between
31
2004 and 2012, the state enterprise missed out on something like 70 bd (see Figure 3), by virtue
of the fact that its rate of decline was higher than that of the other giant fields.
In addition, throughout the entire lifetime of Cantarell, the complex has lacked an optimal
management strategy and has failed to take into account the conditions of supply and demand in
the international oil market. Instead, the state enterprise exploited the resources, without optimizing
income, in response to a market offering attractive prices. The 1990s bore witness to the worst
correlation in this sense.
WHERE IS CANTARELL GOING?
Although many oil fields around the world are becoming depleted, researchers estimate that there
are still considerable volumes of hydrocarbons to be recovered, as only 1% extra in these types of
32
fields would be equivalent to between 20 and 30 billion barrels of oil additional.
By the end of 2013, the original volume of hydrocarbon reserves available at Cantarell consisted
primarily of oil (around 92%). Cantarell’s importance resided in the fact that it represented 14.8% of
the national total of the original volume of oil reserves; that is, the third-highest area of resources,
topped only by the reservoirs of the Tertiary Gulf Oil Project (30.7%) and Ku-Maloop-Zaap (15%),
as well as one-fifth of the 1P oil reserves and 16% of the 3P reserves.
Although the production potential of Cantarell has been exploited, especially at the Akal and Chac
fields, there are still hydrocarbon reserves to be extracted, especially if we look at the recovery
factors of other nations, where up to 46% recovery factors have been observed (Jan Kjärstad,
2009: 451) or the rates achieved in the North Sea. In fact, Pemex is forecasting the recovery of,
between 2013 and 2050, an oil volume of 2,641 mmb of oil and 1,436 bcf of natural gas, projects for
33
which it plans to invest nearly 35 billion dollars in the Cantarell and Ek-Balam projects.
Figure 3. Cantarell: Income Obtained vs. Potential Income*/
*/ Refers to a comparison between the value of volumes obtained and the volumes
determined through international practices with a decline rate of 6%.
Source: Created by the author based on Pemex data.
Besides continuing to exploit Akal, which has the majority of proven oil reserves, there is potential at
the Sihil, Ek, Balam, and Kambesan fields, which contain 17% of the proven reserves of the
complex and low cumulative production. The Kutz, Ixtoc, and Nohoch fields contain 6% of the total
proven oil reserve and also present certain potential, because their recovery factor was below 20%
(see Table 2).
Among the challenges continuing to face the exploitation of hydrocarbons at Cantarell are the
following: increasing knowledge about the profile of the fields, in particular, the damage to the
formation of crude reservoirs; improving the management of contact with water, especially at the
Akal field; adding new production areas; neutralizing the effects of gas production in wells;
optimizing management and disposal of water and gas produced; implementing a secondary
recovery system through double displacement for the Akal field, as well as raising the management
efficiency of the facilities operating production volumes up to five times higher than what was
obtained at the end of 2012. For example, at the Akal field, there are estimates (Rodríguez de la
Garza, 2013) indicating that it could increase its oil recovery by an additional 10%. However, the
critical point to raise the recovery factor is the profitability of the operations, which, in turn, is
determined by operational efficiency, productivity, and international oil prices.
According to the methodology used, which employed an exponential model of decline (Arps, 1944:
228-247), based on equations up to the third degree, the production forecast for Cantarell was
calculated up to the year 2025 (see Table 3). The results comparing these estimates (see Figure 4)
with those reported by Pemex PEP are as follows. Both cases point to a production downturn;
however, the estimates in this paper indicate that oil production will fall at a lower speed than what
has been predicted by Pemex, as a result of the potential success of the exploitation strategies that
have been implemented and investments made in recent years, particularly in the Akal field, and
the possibility to use improved recovery techniques.
Figure 4. Oil Production Forecast at Cantarell. Thousands of Barrels Per Day
Source: Pemex PEP and own estimates.

CONCLUSIONS
Cantarell, and particularly the Akal field, has been one of the major sources of oil proceeds for
Mexico, which has had a positive impact on the primary energy supply, the inflow of foreign
currency in return for exported Maya crude, as well as the knowledge and experience accumulated
by the oil industry, and specifically at Pemex.
Cantarell played a significant role as a heavy oil supplier to the world until the middle of the last
decade, and has gained the designation of a super-giant oil field. Since the very beginning, it has
been a priority for investment in the oil industry in light of its high profitability, derived from low
operating costs and the vast oil and natural gas reserves available. However, its operations have
been subject to government and corporate decisions that have undermined its optimal exploitation.
In particular, its performance can be divided into three distinct phases, in which the common
denominator has been the requirement to abide by the financial needs of the governmental
administrations and support the economic situation of the country:
1. The first phase encompasses the time from when exploitation began to the end of the
1990s. During this period, Pemex’s operations were essentially focused on oil exploitation
at Cantarell, regardless of the conditions of supply and demand in the international oil
market.
2. The next phase runs from the end of the 1990s until the oil production peak in 2003. This
period is characterized by an increase in investment allocated to Cantarell by the
government and the implementation of various strategies, including the use of nitrogen to
increase pressure. The government’s decision was partially retracted in light of the risk of
losing a major source of income.
3. The final phase commences in 2004, where, in spite of the investment resources channeled
to Cantarell, the fields began to decline, particularly Akal, seeing losses in productivity and
efficiency, and facing greater complications to access the oil.
Oil production at Cantarell will continue for at least the next two decades, and the decline will
persist, although it could be mitigated with the use of technology to broaden the geological
knowledge of the fields and their profiles, strengthen the recovery methods used—especially at the
Akal field—, as well as the allocation of additional financial resources.
In summary, the decision to exploit an oil field of the size of Cantarell should be made with priority
given to technical choices and market strategies, rather than as a function of short-term government
policies. In particular, one of the big questions still up for debate is the effectiveness of injecting
nitrogen as the fundamental mechanism to increase oil production. The rapid decline of the oil
volumes produced at Cantarell should serve as a wakeup call for the management of other fields,
such as KMZ.
APPENDIX 1
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______ (2013), “Éxitos y fracasos de Pemex Exploración y Producción”, Documento Técnico, April
5, (consulted August 15, 2014), available at
<http://grandesproblemas.org.mx/temas/ponencias/exitos-y-fracasos-de-pemex-exploracion-y-
produccion-pdf>
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Production”, Energy Policy,vol. 37, USA, pp. 2262-2272.
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Journal, February 15, USA, pp. 87-91.
Jan Kjärstad, Filip Johnsson (2009), “Resources and Future Supply of Oil”, Energy Policy, vol.37,
USA, pp. 441-464.
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D.F.
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4, 2014), available at <http:// www.rigzone.com/news/article.asp?a_id=40538>
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de predicciones con pozos recientemente perforados, Sonda de Campeche, México”, Revista
Ingeniería Petrolera, vol. 54, no. 7, July, Mexico, pp. 376-384.
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Prensa, Boletín No. 287, December 8, 2005 (consulted August 12, 2014), available at
<http://www.pemex.com>
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<http://www.shcp.gob.mx>
Pemex PEP (2012b), “Incorporación de reservas de gas y aceite e incremento de

producción”, Libro Blanco 2006-2012,p. 558.
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<http://contralinea.com.mx/archivo/2004/marzo/capitales/index.html>
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news story, July 19, (consulted January 13, 2014), available at
<http://eleconomista.com.mx/industrias/2012/07/19/pemex-explota-pozo-mas-profundo-
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1
National Polytechnic Institute, Mexico. E-mail address: dromor@ipn.mx
2
In September 1974, drilling reached a depth of 3,400 meters, identifying oil-saturated sediments, with porosity and
permeability. In 1975, drilling continued to 3,535 meters, finding oil impregnations, which led to the drilling of a
second well in 1976, to a depth of 4,934 meters.
3
After initiating production with 3.7 mbd, the Balam field achieved a platform of 55 mbd in December 1994, although
the next year it averaged a mere 20.3 mbd, a trend that persisted until 1996, to later reach a low of 6.9 mbd in May
1997. 4 In 1997, Bechtel was hired to provide services and take part in managing the project. New forms of hiring
and methods to procure materials and equipment were developed, pursuant to “international practices.”
5
Between 1997 and 1998, the strategies included increasing Cantarell production to 1.4 million barrels per day,
reducing the amount of gas released into the atmosphere, injecting gas into the well, and more.
6
Other important projects that year included Burgos and Delta del Grijalva, as well as the reconfiguration of the
Cadereyta Refinery.
7
Between 1997 and 2002, 26 offshore drilling, production, and gas compression platforms were constructed. Pemex,
Press Release 17/05/2002.
8
As of December 2003, 218 wells were operating, representing nearly 50% more wells than Pemex operated in
1996.
9
Even in 2004, 221 companies were participating in operations at the Cantarell complex, of which more than 90%
were foreign (Pérez, 2004).
10
Some of the notable measures adopted include: testing new production timelines; developing adjacent fields, such
as Sihil, Kutz, Ixtoc, and Kambesah, to take advantage of the already-existing infrastructure; establishing
differentiated exploitation strategies depending on the geological conditions of the reserves; adding new
infrastructure to handle salt in exploitation activities; building and installing additional drilling platforms; using new
drilling technologies (non-conventional wells); and finishing wells to produce in less thick zones (SENER, 2011: 103).
11
For example, Pemex forecast oil production levels for the Cantarell complex at 1.9, 1.68, and 1.43 mmbd, for the
years 2006, 2007, and 2008, which contrasted with the observed values of 1.8, 1.4, and 1 mmbd, respectively
(Pemex, 2005).
12
Up until the energy reform, all operations to procure works, materials, and services had to adhere to a unique legal
scheme defined for the entire government, which delayed Pemex’s purchasing operations.
13
Cantarell was one of the first areas on which the CNH honed in to deal with the problem facing Pemex.
14
The name Cantarell was initially used to refer to the Akal and Nohoch fields. Years later, the Cantarell Complex
was defined to include the Kutz, Chac, and Sihil fields, and later, the Ixtoc and Takín fields were added, and the
name became the Cantarell Project. Even later on, the Ek and Balam fields were added to the so-called
Comprehensive Cantarell Asset. Finally, the Kambesah and Után fields were added.
15
Cantarell recorded a reduction in 1P oil reserves between 2004 and 2013 of 1.823 billion barrels of oil, which
meant a total of two years of national production equivalent to the production platform in 2013.
16
One of the fields that contributed to oil production was Sihil-24, which was drilled to 3,400 meters of depth at a
cost of nearly 40 million dollars, as it contributed 11,500 barrels per day in an area of greater depth (Newspaper El
Economista, 2012).
17
The number of producing wells rose between January 2009 and December 2012 from 7 to 15 in the case of the Ek
field and from 5 to 20 in the case of the Sihil field. National Hydrocarbons Commission, www.cnh.gob.mx,
12/3/2012.
18
Other calculations produced different estimates; Cambridge Energy Research Associates estimated 4.5%, Exxon-
Mobil between 4% and 6%, and the International Energy Agency 6.7% (Höök et al., 2009: 2262).
19
Between 2011 and 2012, an average volume of 101 mbd was produced, after averaging 62 mbd between 2008
and 2010 (Comisión Nacional de Hydrocarburos, 2013).
20
By 2008, Akal had the second-highest oil recovery factor in the country at 35.3%, below the Abkatún-Pol-Chuc
field, which recorded the highest percentage in the country at 37.5%. These two were followed by Nohoch with
29.7%, and the rest of the fields at Cantarell lagged far behind (Comisión Nacional de Hydrocarburos, 2010).
21
In 2004, the announcement was made that the plant would begin operating in December 2006, but it actually
opened at the end of 2008.
22
The plant cost a little more than 150 million dollars, and the objective was to treat gas with nitrogen concentration
of up to 19.1%, reducing it to 1.2%, to comply with the Official Mexican Standard 001-SECRE-2003.
23
Since 2001, Pemex recorded exploitation indices of 92.3%, as compared to the 98% stipulated in international
standards.
24
Pursuant to a document drafted by the President of the Grupo Constitución de 1917, the volume of gas burned has
been higher, reaching the following figures: 2001: 85 thousand; 2002: 63,600; 2003: 52 thousand; 2004: 36
thousand; 2005: 38,400; 2006: 57,200; 2007: 112 thousand; 2008: 266 thousand; 209: 206 thousand; and 2010:
120 thousand barrels of crude oil equivalent (Garaicoechea, 2013: 1-5).
25
According to the National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH), Pemex endangered the optimal exploitation of crude
oil in Cantarell derived from the overexploitation between 2010 and 2011, especially as a result of the amount of gas
released into the atmosphere through flares. The commission estimated that the state enterprise failed to extract
nearly 106 thousand barrels of oil per day, due to the fact that its method of gas exploitation wasted oil (Comisión
Nacional de Hydrocarburos, 2011).
26
The standard to reduce gas released into the atmosphere through flares—particularly in Cantarell—was published
in the Mexican Official Federal Gazette by the National Hydrocarbons Commission on December 4, 2009. Between
2010 and 2011, the goals for gas exploitation were not met. By 2012, the goal for average gas exploitation was to
reach 97.5%, pursuant to Resolution CNH.E.07.001/11 from the CNH.
27
Estimated with public information from Pemex Exploración y Producción, Northeast Offshore Region, Cost-Benefit
Analysis Document, Cantarell Project, Change in Amount and Scope, Mexico, October 2012.
28
According to information from the Ministry of Energy, the domestic rate of return on the project has exceeded
900% (Comisión Económica para América Latina, 2001: 16).
29
This corresponds to the average production cost at the Cantarell field reported by Pemex to the Security Exchange
Commission.
30
There were more wells, major and minor repairs, additional platforms, equipment to produce with an artificial
jacking system (continuous pneumatic pump) in many of the wells and the laying of kilometers of pipeline, among
other factors, as well as expenditures on operations and research.
31
This was calculated based on a decline rate of 6%, which is the upper threshold of the range stipulated as
international practice. This was compared with the real production value of hydrocarbons. All since 2004, which is
when Cantarell hit peak oil production. Moreover, this took into account real gas production and its value at market
prices.
32
In fact, studies from the International Energy Agency indicate that by 2030, 20% of global oil production will be
derived from secondary or tertiary recovery methods, including at Cantarell (Comisión Nacional de Hydrocarburos,
2012: 10).
33
Includes the drilling of 130 development wells, one injector well, the construction of seven offshore structures and
31 pipelines, major and minor repairs, and the maintenance of the infrastructure (Pemex PEP, 2012a: 54).

T C O F M E: Daniel Romo

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Revista Problemas del Desarrollo Volume 46, Number 183, October-December 2015 http://www.scielo.org.

THE CANTARELL OIL FIELD AND THE MEXICAN ECONOMY

Date received: January 5, 2015. Date accepted: April 20, 2015

Keywords: Oil, Cantarell, hydrocarbons, Pemex, investment.

CANTARELL AND THE FACTORS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED ITS PERFORMANCE

Figure 1. Investments in Cantarell and Relationship to Pemex

Source: Created by the author based on data from Pemex.

Figure 2. Oil Production at Cantarell. Thousands of Barrels Per Day.

Source: Created by the author based on data from Pemex.

THE CURRENT SITUATION OF CANTARELL

1. The contamination of the natural gas—with nitrogen—generated pressure from major

WHERE IS CANTARELL GOING?

Figure 3. Cantarell: Income Obtained vs. Potential Income*/

Figure 4. Oil Production Forecast at Cantarell. Thousands of Barrels Per Day

Source: Pemex PEP and own estimates.

Comisión Nacional de Hidrocarburos (2010), “Factores de recuperación de aceite y gas en

______ (2013), “Dictamen Técnico del Proyecto de Explotación Cantarell (Modificación

Pemex (2005), “Precisiones respecto al comportamiento del complejo Cantarell”, Boletín de

Pemex PEP (2012b), “Incorporación de reservas de gas y aceite e incremento de

Rodríguez de la Garza, Fernando (2013), “”Retos de la recuperación mejorada y avanzada de

______ (2011), Pemex, Origen, Evolución y Perspectivas, Mexico, Pemex-IPN, p. 318.

______ (2003), Tercer Informe de Labores, Mexico.

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