Production In Mexico's Biggest Oil Field Tanking

The tanking production of Mexico's formerly largest oil field is happening so fast it is breathtaking.

Output at state-owned oil monopoly Petroleos Mexicanos's offshore field Cantarell, once the world's second-largest oil field, has plunged to 500,000 barrels a day from its peak of 2.1 million in 2005. "I don't recall seeing anything in the industry as dramatic as Cantarell," says Mark Thurber, assistant director for research at the Program on Energy and Sustainable Development at Stanford University.

If this happens to Saudi Arabia's Ghawar oil field then we'll enter an economic depression. As more countries hit their production peaks we become more dependent on the dwindling list remaining producers that are not yet in decline. I expect a series of oil price shocks as a result.

Mexico was America's 2nd biggest supplier in 2007 and will likely cease to supply us any oil within 5 years.

In 2007, Mexico was our second-biggest oil supplier, after Canada. Last year, with a 15% drop in daily barrels supplied, the country dropped to third place behind Saudi Arabia.

Both Saudi Arabia and Mexico are too secretive about the state of their oil fields to allow outside experts to estimate future production trends. Mexico is easier to call though since experts see deep offshore drilling as needed to slow Mexico's oil production decline. Since Mexico's government is spending Pemex revenue on government funding Pemex does not have enough money (or expertise) to do the needed deep offshore exploration and development. So we can count on continued Mexican oil production decline.

Mexico's Chicontepec field has been a disappointment. This decline in Mexican production is going to bring an end to Mexico's role as an oil exporter and therefore reduce funding for their government and depress the Mexican economy. Mexico might even become a net exporter in 5 years time. The United States needs to build a formidable physical border barrier to insulate ourselves from the economic troubles building up south of the border.