OGA: 3.8 tcf of tight gas locked in Southern North Sea

UK’s Oil and Gas Authority (OGA), has said that almost four trillion cubic feet of tight gas might be locked in the Southern North Sea.

Thus, OGA, together with the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR), will host its second hackathon event to discuss cost efficiencies and technological solutions applicable to the Southern North Sea’s (SNS) tight gas market.

The OGA said on Monday that the event would take place on May 31 at Dunston Hall, Norwich.

Last year, the OGA and EEEGR launched a special interest group focusing on SNS rejuvenation to highlight the importance of the region in maximizing the economic recovery of the UK’s oil and gas reserves. One of the group’s priorities has been to focus in on tight gas opportunities in the Southern North Sea and from which the idea of a tight gas hackathon was conceived.

OGA added that, with input from Shell, Centrica, Premier Oil, and Baker Hughes, the event would act as a platform for operators and the supply chain to come together, exchange ideas, and collaborate.

Eric Marston, OGA SNS area manager, said: “Tight gas reservoirs are often presumed to be high cost and high risk, yet we estimate 3.8 trillion cubic feet of tight gas remains locked in existing fields, undeveloped discoveries and prospects in the SNS.

“Beyond the immediate benefits of bringing these reservoirs on stream, the development of tight gas can extend the economic life of remaining infrastructure, stimulate field redevelopments and marginal pools, and support the local supply chain by building expertise and capability.”

Topics which will be discussed during the hackathon include:

• Stimulation: How can we do what we normally do better (i.e. more efficiently and cheaper)?
• Technology: How can we make reservoirs give up their gas more easily?
• Reservoirs: How can we better improve our understanding of reservoirs (e.g. improve our ability to identify open natural fractures, fault, baffles)?
• Production: How do we maintain production on existing tight gas fields?
• Logistics: What can be done to reduce the cost of logistics on tight has developments and how can we reduce the clean-up time on a fracked tight gas well?

Simon Gray, EEEGR CEO, said: “Energy production from gas now forms nearly 50 percent of the UK’s capacity, therefore ensuring a domestic supply of gas is vital to the UK’s energy strategy.

“With its unique mix of historic production from SNS gas, nuclear generation at Sizewell, and the world’s largest windfarms, the East of England plays a vital role in the UK’s energy production.”