The Burgan field, a giant sandstone oil field, is in Kuwait. It lies in the desert of southeastern Kuwait, near the coast of the Persian Gulf, and is commonly discussed as part of the larger Greater Burgan area.
Greater Burgan includes three closely spaced producing fields: Burgan, Magwa, and Ahmadi. Together, they form one of the world's most important petroleum regions. The field's oil is held mainly in Cretaceous-age sandstone and carbonate reservoir layers, including the Burgan sands and the Wara Formation.
Oil was discovered there in 1938, and commercial production began in 1946. Burgan became central to Kuwait's petroleum economy and has often been described as the world's largest sandstone oil field. A common mix-up is confusing it with Ghawar in Saudi Arabia: Ghawar is generally ranked as the world's largest oil field overall, while Burgan is especially notable for its sandstone geology and enormous reserves.
Burgan also became internationally infamous during the 1991 Gulf War, when retreating Iraqi forces set many Kuwaiti oil wells ablaze. The fires caused severe environmental damage, but the field continued to be a major source of Kuwait's oil.