Offshore staff
LONDON – Britain’s Oil & Gas Authority (OGA) is seeking the industry’s thoughts on the formation of United Kingdom National Data Repository (NDR).
This would be funded through a levy payable, by all UK offshore petroleum licensees.
The OGA has opened a four-week consultation process on the NDR (closing date Dec. 8, 2017), the aims of which are to improve access to UK petroleum-related information and thereby promote investment and help maximize the UK’s offshore resources.
Offshore petroleum licensees in UK waters must report license-related information to the OGA, something which is done primarily through a digital data repository operated byCommon Data Access Ltd. (CDA), a subsidiary of the trade association Oil & Gas UK.
Access to this repository is limited to fee paying subscribers only.
The OGA says its proposed NDR would preserve, regulate, and provide greater access to the UK’s wide-ranging petroleum-related information.
Director of Corporate Nic Grange said: “The prize from the UKCS [continental shelf] is still significant with 10-20 Bbbl of reserves remaining.
“Unlocking this requires access to good quality data and the creation of a UK NDR would be a vital step in ensuring data is easily available to stimulate investment and exploration to deliver maximum economic recovery from the UK.”
The OGA proposes a two-year contract with CDA to offer services, including access to qualifying elements of the current data, to create an NDR that would be available to all levy payers.
This service would be funded through an increase in the levy, but with a removal of the corresponding CDA membership fees.
Oil & Gas UK’s chief executive Deirdre Michie said: “We will consult with our members on the increase in levy to cover the cost of a National Data Repository.
“The digital data store that has been managed by CDA has proven to be an indispensable tool for sharing and transferring information within our sector. As we move forward, we need to ensure that the creation of the new NDR adds further value to the good work of CDA and all it has achieved over recent decades.”
11/13/2017
