Offshore staff
LONDON– The UK’s Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) has joined the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) on an on-going joint industry research project (JIP), called “Hypo-Lias,” to explore the hydrocarbon potential of Jurassic rock formations across the Southern North Sea.
This research project, executed as part of the Dutch TKI Upstream Gas program, is already sponsored by EBN, NAM, and Statoil. Upon joining the project, the OGA will specifically sponsor additional research, focused on the Southwestern Approaches and East Shetland platform areas. These are also the subject of theUK government-funded 2016 seismic acquisition program.
Hypo-Lias was originally defined as a project which covers not only the UK and Netherlands, but also parts of Norway and Denmark. With the OGA joining the project, Hypo-Lias further extends its collaborative reach. All research outcomes from the research sponsored by the OGA will become publicly available after completion, substantially boosting future joint research opportunities with a consistent focus on sustainable and competitive offshore gas exploration and production.
Jo Bagguley, Principal Regional Geologist at the OGA, said: “The OGA is committed to promoting exploration opportunities in the UK through both regional and targeted approaches. The Hypo-Lias project enables us to collaborate with our Dutch colleagues and share cross-border learnings. The results of the UK part of the Hypo-Lias project will complement the seismic data that has been acquired by the OGA in the southwest Britain and East Shetland Platform areas. This will further our understanding of the exploration potential in these frontier areas of the UK continental shelf.”
Friso Veenstra, TNO Business Development Manager for Exploration, added: “As a result of OGA’s contribution, the Hypo-Lias project will have a greater and more immediate impact.”
The OGA says its Exploration Strategy includes working with the industry to enhance exploration investment, integrate exploration into regional development plans, acquire and publish new geophysical data, and license underexplored and more mature areas of the UKCS.
Contracts were awarded to WesternGeco and PGS for the South West Britain and East Shetland Platform geophysical surveys respectively. The acquisition program began in summer 2016 and finished in October 2016. Data is expected to be released to industry in 3Q 2017.
03/24/2017
