“Make it up in volume” - sure.
Volume only means you bleed out faster.
Something shall have to be done to make the per-unit production cost LOWER, and nothing creates greater incentive for that than steadily losing ground.
Can the steam be generated for a lower cost? Can the injection system be modified to make more efficient use of the steam generated? How about modifying the injection system to use emulsifying solutions that can be recycled and re-injected time after time?
I am sure that there are plenty of chemical engineers on site that are trying these kinds of solutions and many more. Can they get the improvements into the process on a timely and cost-effect manner?
lol