UK’s Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has created and published a suite of measures to make data openly available and stimulate interest in the UK Continental Shelf ahead of the 30th Offshore Licensing Round.
According to the OGA’s statement on Monday, the 30th Offshore Licensing Round will focus on the more mature areas of the UKCS, some of which were last offered for licensing more than 40 years ago, and is deemed as “the most significant offshore round in recent decades.”
The announced measures include a series of freely available subsurface data packages for around 140 relinquished discoveries, including well and seismic data (from Common Data Access), well tops (from OGA/BGS), and selected seismic images (from CGG, PGS, and WesternGeco).
The measures further include technical montages for 60 discoveries, including the discovery’s history, static and dynamic information and digital subsurface data to be used in interpretation software as well as the launch of a technology event in Aberdeen in August, jointly hosted by the Oil and Gas Technology Centre (OGTC).
Furthermore, OGA will supply two interactive maps showing undeveloped discoveries and all license relinquishments since 2014.
The technology event which will be organized by OGA and OGTC will bring operators, investors, and technology developers together at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre the week beginning August 21. The event will cover technology areas that are critical for the economic development of marginal fields, including seismic, well construction, subsea tie-backs, and efficient standalone facility concepts.
The organizers will present information on acreage and opportunities available in the licensing round, as well as support for technology development, and slots for technology providers to showcase proposed solutions.
OGA said it was preparing a number of exploration focused data sets for public release. These will include the publication of UKCS-wide satellite gravity data, regional geological maps, and associated databases covering the Central North Sea and Moray Firth.
Gunther Newcombe , OGA operations director, said: “We know that more than 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent remain in approximately 350 undeveloped discoveries across the UKCS. Data and technology are key to unlocking as many of these undeveloped discoveries. That’s why we’re making this data openly available, providing useful insights into each discovery and the potential these may hold.”
Mike Tholen , Oil & Gas UK’s upstream policy director, said: “A lot of work is being done by industry and government to stimulate exploration on the UKCS and extend the productive life of the basin. With up to 20 billion barrels of oil and gas left to recover, access to the latest subsurface data will help industry pinpoint resources more accurately, increasing the probability of successful drilling campaigns, which will help attract much needed fresh investment into the basin.”