This article is timeless and should be accurate for any version of the game.
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Extracts fuel from Oil Fields. Must be constructed nearby.
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— In-game description
The Oil Well is a player-built Facility Mine that automatically extracts Oil from Oil Fields. It does not require power to operate, but certain upgrades require it.
You can access its interface when on foot or in a logistics vehicle by pressing E.
The original builder can instantly demolish it if it was built less than 28 days ago (materials refunded).
It can be reserved for a Squad to prevent non-members from modifying it (however the stockpile access is not restricted).
It is immune to Friendly Fire but it can be flagged for "Disruptive Structure Placement" to remove the immunity (5 "votes" needed).
You can view the Action Logs to check the modifications done to it.
With the Fracker upgrade installed, its internal water tank can be refuelled.
Production
Only one of the production options can be active at a time. The stockpile can hold up to 50 Oil cans, the production pauses if it's full.
Currently, with queue system, up to 5 order can be active at the same time, working in parallel, increasing the Oil output dramatically. In practice, 1 Oil Well produces the same ratio of Oil
as 5 Oil Wells before queue system was implemented. As Oil Wells do not need resources to work (unlike Coal Refinery which is also extremely slower) and have infinite reserves (unlike all other Resource Fields), Oil is currently the easiest resource to gather. Both Petrol and Heavy Oil are easy to produce in vast quantities, specially after Tier 2 Facilities (pipes) are researched.
Upgrade modules exist to add more production options. However only one can be installed on a facility and it cannot be uninstalled (demolishing the facility will refund the upgrade cost). Certain technologies are required for some upgrades.
Electric Oil Well
Description: A generator that leverages electricity to pump oil through attached pipes.
Upgrade Cost: 25
Requirement: "Tier 2 Facilities" technology must be unlocked.
Both upgrades add a Pipeline outlet to automatically transfer the oil produced instead of putting it in the stockpile, but only when using the production option that requires power.
The Fracker upgrade also adds Pipeline inlet to automatically transfer water to the well.
Trivia
Prior to Update 1.50 (officially known as 'Inferno'), Oil Wells were permanent World Resource Mines that were placed in different locations every war. They used to produce Crude Oil barrels, which was only used to produced Petrol in a Refinery in a 3:1 ratio
Unlike other World Structures, which used Petrol fairly quickly, filling up an Oil Well with Petrol would last several days, upwards of up to 11 days, before running out of Petrol
When reimplemented for Update 1.50, the model stayed relatively the same, with adjustments made to include the addition of power cables, and facility upgrades