Exploring new frontiers –
the Norwegian continental shelf
Bente Nyland
Director General
Norwegian Petroleum Directorate, Norway
Forum 6: Exploring new frontiers: innovation and vision
The Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS)
Greenland
Svalbard
The Barents Sea
Iceland
Russia
The Norwegian
Sea
Norway
The North
Sea
UK
Denmark
The Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS)
Greenland
Outline:
Svalbard
The Barents Sea
Jan Mayen
Iceland
Russia
The Norwegian
Sea
Norway
The North
Sea
UK
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•
•
•
Status NCS
Stepwise exploration
The North Sea
The Norwegian Sea
The Barents Sea
Undiscovered resources
Norway 2009 / 2010
• Among the seven largest oil exporters
• The second largest gas exporter
Source: KBC Market Services/Cedigaz
Resources and reserves
• Total resources and reserves:
– 65 - 100 BBOE
• Expected: ~ 80 BBOE
• 20 per cent from undiscovered resources
• 43 per cent produced from 90 fields
• 2004: Total production was at the highest level
• Many discoveries are made - too small to
replace the yearly production
Sequential exploration
• Since 1965 the NCS has been opened for petroleum activity in
stages based on geological knowledge and technical experience
• Results and experience gained from one area has thus been
utilized to open new areas
The North Sea
• The most explored area –
– activity started almost 50 years ago
• Production started in 1971
• Most of the production comes from the
North Sea
• Recently a significant discovery is made
• Gas pipelines to the European continent
and UK
– Total: ~ 8000 kilometer
The Norwegian Sea
• First well drilled in 1980
• Production started in 1993
• ~ 30 % of production
• 1994: Deep water area open for
petroleum activity
• 1997: Discovery of the gas field
Ormen Lange
• Possible new development
in deep water area
Ormen Lange
Source: Statoil
Sub-basalt imaging challenges
Sub-basalt imaging challenges
Constraints with seismic data:
• High velocities of basalt rock reduce
the transmission of seismic energy below
• Severe absorption of higher frequencies reduces
sub-basalt resolution
• Undulating basalt interfaces and chaotic flow patterns scatter
the seismic energy in all directions
Sub-basalt seismic imaging example - Norwegian Sea
NPD-6330-92 original mig
Multiples
PSP
Mode?
Primary A?
Sub-basalt imaging challenges
Constraints with seismic data:
• High velocities of basalt rock reduce the transmission of
seismic energy below
• Severe absorption of higher frequencies reduces
sub-basalt resolution
• Undulating basalt interfaces and chaotic flow patterns
scatter the seismic energy in all directions
Solutions:
• Use other geophysical methods (EM and Grav/Mag data)
• Improve seismic:
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New seismic source technology improving low-frequencies
Long offset seismic
Improved pre-processing of the seismic data
Novel methods for free-surface multiple suppression and reducing the effect of
internal multiples
• Integrated- and joint inversion of for example: Gravity, EM and seismic
The Norwegian Sea – Jan Mayen Ridge
Jan Mayen Ridge: A micro continent that was a part of East Greenland
•
Two episodes of seafloor spreading
•
The petroleum potential is unknown
•
2011 and 2012:
• The NPD will acquire seismic ahead
of an opening process
•
Opening process has been initiated
•
Opening of new areas requires
political decisions
• First well drilled in 1980
• 1984: Discovery of the gas field Snøhvit
• 2000: Discovery of Goliat oil field
• 2007: Production started from Snøhvit
• 2011: Five wildcats, three discoveries
1980 – 2011
Wildcats and discoveries
Number of wildcat wells
The Barents Sea
2000
The Barents Sea - the gas field Snøhvit
• Reserves:
– gas - 6 TCF, NGL – 6,5 mill. tonnes
condensate - 115 MMBBLs
• Reservoir: Sandstone - Early – Mid. Jurassic
• Development is subsea templates
Source: Statoil
• The well stream is transported to shore for
processing and export
• The gas is processed and cooled down to
LNG and shipped to Europe and USA
• The CO2 content in the gas is separated and
re-injected in a formation below the reservoir
Source: Statoil
Melkøya
The Barents Sea – the new border
• 7 July 2011: Treaty Norway – Russia
• Opens for new possibilities for petroleum
activity and co-operation in the Barents Sea
• New area: ~ 88 000 km2
• 2011/2012: Seismic acquisition by the NPD
Where opportunities are great and uncertainty greatest
• Vast areas relevant for petroleum activity
remain unopened
• The NPD estimates great opportunities for
undiscovered resources
Total
16 BBOE
Liquids
Gas
8 BBOE
44 TCF
High
Million Sm3
Expected
Low
Summing up
Greenland
• Considerable petroleum potential both
in well explored and frontier areas
Svalbard
• Greatest potential in areas not open for
petroleum activity
The Barents Sea
• Remaining resources may contribute to
significant production for many decades
Jan Mayen
Iceland
Russia
The Norwegian
Sea
Norway
The North
Sea
UK
Denmark
• However- there are geological and
technological challenges:
– Sub-basalt
– Seismic imaging
– Smaller and deeper prospects in well
explored areas
– Deep water
– Arctic conditions
Thank you for your
attention
www.npd.no