EOR screening studies
In 2017, the NPD partnered with Imperial College London to map the technical EOR potential on 27 fields and discoveries on the Norwegian continental shelf.
The study has been updated and expanded, and now includes 46 oil fields and discoveries. The expanded analysis has examined the effect factors other than subsurface parameters can have on EOR projects and is based on reservoir data reported by the operators.
The conclusion is that there is a considerable technical EOR potential of about 700 million Sm3 of oil. That is nearly equivalent to the volume of oil in the Johan Sverdrup field. A risked EOR potential has also been calculated, which accounts for the likelihood of an EOR method being successfully implemented. The risked EOR potential amounts to approximately 350 million Sm3 of oil.
The following methods were identified by the analysis as being the most favourable:
- Gas-based method such as WAG with miscible hydrocarbon gas or CO2, especially for fields where the equipment needed for injection is already available.
- Low-salinity water, as this method has relatively low cost and is not considered to have any negative environmental impact.
- The well-based processes, Bright Water™ and gel, because of low implementation complexity resulting in relatively low cost. They also have a minor environmental impact due to low consumption of chemicals, with the chemicals expected to remain in the reservoir.
Read more
Resource report 2017 (Technical potential)
Ressursrapport 2019 (The challenging barrels)
Screening for EOR and Estimating Potential Incremental Oil Recovery on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (SPE-190230-MS)
Updated: 27/11/2020