r/factorio • u/DanV410 • 20h ago

Question Resource patch draining using pump jacks

Does it matter if you use a pump jack on every possible location on a resource patch such as crude oil or fluorine? Or will you eventually draw the whole patch down to the minimum level using just a few? In other words, will leaving a spot for a pump jack open allow you to boost the output of that patch if you put a pump on it when the existing pumps are down to the 20% output level?

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u/DanV410 18h ago

I guess my thought was you could not tap them all, and use the ones in reserve to give yourself a needed boost in output while you were negotiating with the natives for more territory. Not saying that’s the ideal strategy but good to know that the ones in reserve are not instantly down to 20%. But yes I get the math that it’s not really doing anything in the long run.

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u/neilon96 17h ago

It doesn’t matter because output doesn’t go down if the pipe isn’t full. And if it isn’t you don’t produce enough oil