Stand-out discoveries were Aker BP’s Omega Alfa exploration campaign, which delivered oil in four wellbores close to the Yggdrasil development in the North Sea; the Lofn/Langemann gas/condensate discoveries in the North Sea; and the Kjøttkake oil and gas find, again in the North Sea.
Technological highlights included drilling of two ultra-long wellbores.
The Omega Alfa 24/1-14 C wellbore, at 10.7 km, was the longest drilled to date on the NCS.
OKEA’s Talisker (31/4-A-15 B) on the Brage field, at 10.2 km, was one of the sector’s longest-ever exploratory wells. These results demonstrate how drilling advances are increasing flexibility in exploration, the Directorate said, providing the opportunity to test multiple targets in a single well.
Over the last two years, there has also been a strong focus on improving recovery in tight reservoirs. Producing large volumes of oil and gas from these reservoirs will only be possible with new technology and cost reductions, the NOD added, helped by close co-operation between the sector’s main players.
The Directorate highlighted the following solutions for tight reservoirs offshore Norway:
- Dynamic fracturing: Fracturing the reservoir rock and keeping the fractures open by filling them with sand, helping the oil and gas flow more easily into the well.
- Low-cost drilling: Drilling wells using a continuous length of flexible pipe spooled off a drum, particularly profitable for smaller accumulations.
- Controlled acid jetting to increase productivity in long horizontal wells.
Norway’s total oil production of about 106 MMcm last year was the highest since 2009.