Page 116: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Aug/Sep 2014)

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North Sea

Norway’s challenges and opportunities

Challenges to produce new areas, like the Barents, and extend the life of more mature regions, are high on the agenda for Norway’s

Petroleum Directorate. reports from the Underwater Elaine Maslin

Technology Conference in Bergen.

ubsea technology has transformed new to development operations on the

Norway’s oil and gas industry, Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS), will

S helping to realize resources that be key to their long-term future, she said. would otherwise have been left in the

The basins ground, says Norwegian Petroleum

Directorate (NPD) director Ingrid There is still a signifcant remaining

Sølvberg. resource potential in the North Sea,

Since 2010, the total production from Sølvberg says. “It is a curiosity that the subsea completed wells has exceeded giant Johan Sverdrup discovery was the production from part of production platform com- license 001 – the pleted wells, with frst license awarded the majority of the on the NCS in 1965 increase from gas. to Esso—and was

Subsea oil produc- proven roughly tion has remained 45 years later,”

Norwegian Sea. VNG’s recent oil discov- she says. “The stable since 2006. The resource increase has been helped ery Pil in the Njord/Draugen area demon- Sverdrup success But there are by a focus on research and development strates that there is yet more to fnd.” is a good example also challenges, and adopting new technologies, Sølvberg

In the Barents Sea, only 2% of of the importance Sølvberg, the NPD’s says. the expected resources are sold and of thoroughly director for the Gas and water injection has also been delivered. examining areas we Norwegian and more effcient than anticipated and “The center of gravity for undiscovered thought were well Barents seas, told continuous improvements in reservoir resources has gradually moved north. explored.” Bergen’s Underwater understanding has led to drilling more

It is here, in the Barents Sea, that the In the Norwegian Technology wells than originally planned as well.

potential is greatest—and it is also here Sea, about one third Conference in June. The trend is likely to continue, with the uncertainty is greatest,” she said. of the expected Norway’s basins, many felds in production or under resources are sold the North Sea, development today expected to provide

Maintaining production and delivered. Norwegian Sea, and about 50% of the predicted production

Ingrid Sølvberg, director for the

Field life on the NCS has proven to be “Until now gas dis- Barents Sea, have in 2030. But this will require continued

Norwegian and Barents seas, Norwegian much longer than originally estimated, coveries in the deep varying degrees of efforts to extend feld life and fnd ways

Photo from UTC.

Petroleum Directorate. with the total resource estimate having water area have been maturity, and contin- to increase recovery, Sølvberg says, add- increased by 70%, compared to feld smaller than expected.” ued focus on implementing new tech- ing that there are about 165 projects cur- plan for development and operation However, she adds: “The NPD still nology, as well as ensuring co-operation rently being planned to improve recovery (PDO) estimates. sees a large remaining potential in the between operators, some of which are from producing felds.

August 2014 | OE oedigital.com 118 000_OE0814_geofocus5_NPD.indd 118 7/23/14 1:21 AM