OGA in oil recovery message

The Oil and Gas Authority (OGA) has outlined its priorities for enhancing oil recovery (EOR) methods for the North Sea.

The industry regulator said there was still a “significant prize to be gained" by increasing recovery from existing oil fields.

There are currently only two active EOR schemes on the UKCS, including a gas injection scheme atMagnus and a pilot polymer scheme at the Captain field.

The OGA said its ambition is to support the delivery of up to 250million barrels of oil through EOR by working with operators and the supply chain to support existing polymer projects and ensuring readiness for future projects.

The document comes just a few weeks after a decommissioning strategy was also published.

“Prize to be gained by increasing recovery”

In its latest report, the OGA said EOR would play a huge role in maximising economic recovery from the UKCS by extending field life by up to 10 years and supporting job provision.

But it said offshore EOR remains “largely unattractive economically" as outlined in Sir Ian Wood's Maximising Recovery Review.

The OGA said it plans to demonstrate a proven offshore operation of low salinityEORby 2021 as well as encouraging evaluations for all new projects.

It also plans to advance “the next tranche of EOR technologies" as well as developing a framework for their economic implementation.

A further five EOR projectswhichhave field development plans (FDPs) in place including at Clair Ridge, Schiehallion and Magnus.