UK Launches North Sea Tight Gas Strategy
UK upstream regulator, the Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), published a new strategy June 22 outlining how the economic recovery of ‘tight gas’ from the shallow water Southern North Sea (SNS) basin can be maximised.
It conservatively estimates there are some 3.8 trillion ft3 (107.6bn m3) of remaining gas accessible in the SNS, including infill opportunities, undeveloped discoveries and prospects. But it notes that tight gas reservoirs have often been disregarded as high cost and high risk, with licence holders tending to focus instead on less complex developments with lower costs and higher recovery factors.
The OGA's Southern North Sea Tight Gas Strategy has been developed to help stimulate greater use of technology and collaboration to overcome these barriers and unlock this significant remaining potential.
Eric Marston, OGA Area Manager for the southern North Sea and east Irish Sea said: “Maximising recovery of tight gas represents a real opportunity to extend the life of the Southern North Sea’s existing infrastructure, including the development of marginal fields and potentially the redevelopment of existing fields. In addition we can expect an upturn in activity to benefit the supply chain by building their capability and expertise in tight gas.
“There’s a lot of energy in the southern sector right now with operators collaborating on some great projects to bring new developments to market. We’ve also been working closely with industry via the East of England Energy Group’s SNS Rejuvenation Special Interest Group, which in turn has been actively supporting the tight gas agenda,” Marston added.
Mark Smedley