Once a well is completed, it is ready to start producing.

Natural gas reservoirs usually have enough formation pressure to flow the gas to the surface, but sometimes compression is needed to help produce the gas.

Once drawn from the ground, the gas is then piped to processing plants. Unprocessed natural gas may contain natural gas liquids (NGLs), such as ethane, propane, and butane, in addition to pentanes, water, and hydrogen sulphide. Most of these components are stripped from the gas at processing plants and often sold as individual by-products.

Oil, which is far denser than gas, is produced in different ways. The most common method is to pump the oil to surface using a pumpjack, although occasionally there is enough formation pressure for it to flow on its own. Enhanced recovery methods involve injecting water, carbon dioxide, or natural gas into the reservoir or flooding the pay zone with ethane, propane, or butane to thin out heavier crudes, making them easier to recover.

A battery (a system of tanks, separators, and other surface equipment) collects, stores, and processes crude oil produced from one or more wells. Before building a battery, a company must discuss the details with landowners and receive ERCB approval.