Getting the most oil and gas possible out of our reservoirs has always been a top priority in Statoil. Our focus on improved recovery starts during the field development planning stage and lasts through the later phases of production.
Oseberg field centre in the North Sea. (Photo: Manfred Jarisch)
Today, increasing oil and gas recovery of our reservoirs is as important as new field developments.
Statoil’s ability to significantly boost recovery rates in a producing field’s lifetime has become one of our technological trademarks.
R&D resources
“Active programmes for improved recovery are in place on most Statoil fields and we earmark large parts of our research and development resources to enhancing total recovery,” says senior vice president for subsurface technology, Øystein Arvid Håland.
Øystein Arvid Håland, vice president for subsurface technology.
Improved recovery research accounted for NOK 600 million of Statoil’s total research budget of NOK 2.2 billion in 2010.
Growing intensity
As the Norwegian oil sector matures, the focus on improved recovery intensifies, especially in mature and marginal fields.
“We have a portfolio of some 300 improved recovery projects, which add up to a volume of 675 million standard cubic metres oil and gas. That is as much as the entire Statjord field,” says Gro Aksnes, vice president for reserves and business development Bergen.
“This includes everything from relatively easy to implement measures with known technology to more substantial projects that extend over many years and demand new technology development.”
Long and short term
Statoil emphasises implementing new initiatives that boost recovery in both a short and long term perspective.
Gro Aksnes, vice president for reserves and plans Bergen
“We continually increase the recovery of oil and gas from existing fields and evaluate a broad spectrum of techniques - from new wells and well initiatives combined with enhanced interpretation of subsurface data to low-pressure production and chemical application methods,” comments Håland.
Higher volumes
The highest volumes come from new wells and well maintenance. A particularly important facet in this respect is interpreting subsurface data that helps correctly design and place wells. Low-pressure production additionally produces large extra volumes.
Many other improved recovery projects, including chemical application methods, are approaching advanced stages of development and promise to soon help maximise recovery of oil and gas both offshore Norway and in our growing number of field development and production operations internationally.