Production Research Involves Many Problems in Physics

EFFORT to develop fundamental quantitative information and improved technique in the production of petroleum has long been faced with difficulties of a particularly evasive nature, owing to a combination of circumstances. In the first place, petroleum comes from far below the ground, out of sight, so that information derived from indirect observations must be extrapolated to reservoir conditions. If one does not force the analogy too far, the petroleum engineer may be said to be somewhat in the position of the astronomer. The actual phenomena which he wishes to observe in detail appear at a place so deep in the earth?s crust that personal observations and direct experiments are impossible.