A study carried out by experts from Imperial College on behalf of the Norwegian Offshore Directorate has highlighted substantial untapped potential for increasing production on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) through EOGR (enhanced oil and gas recovery). The findings point to a wide gap between identified opportunities for enhanced oil and gas recovery and the limited number of pilot projects that have actually been implemented.
“One of the Directorate’s most important priorities is to support measures that can curb the expected decline in production from the NCS. There is a significant gap between the identified EOGR opportunities and the few pilot projects that have actually been pursued,” said Ove Bjørn Wilson, senior reservoir engineer at the Norwegian Offshore Directorate.
In 2026, the Ministry of Energy tasked the Directorate with “contributing to realise profitable development using advanced EOGR methods”. As part of this mandate, an internal task force has begun reviewing projects that remain uncompleted or unimplemented, building on earlier research that estimated a theoretical recovery potential of 350-700 million standard cubic metres of oil equivalent through advanced enhanced oil and gas recovery techniques. Despite this promise, uncertainty remains regarding how much of this volume can be translated into commercially viable production.
“There is still uncertainty as to how much of this could actually yield profitable increased recovery. We could be talking about quantities that match the entire production from the Johan Sverdrup field. This could have a significant impact on activity on the NCS, and yield vast revenues for both the industry and society in general,” Wilson said.
Historically, several enhanced oil and gas recovery methods have been explored for specific fields but were ultimately shelved. Challenges linked to technical feasibility, strict profitability thresholds, environmental cost considerations, and limited access to suitable injection sources contributed to these decisions. However, the experience of applying enhanced oil and gas recovery offshore in other regions has demonstrated that such approaches can be both technically viable and economically attractive under conditions similar to those found on the NCS.
“This shows that EOGR is technically feasible and profitable under conditions comparable to the NCS. In our efforts now, we’ll be thinking outside the box, looking at alternatives we haven’t previously investigated,” said Wilson.
Against this backdrop, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate is now evaluating which fields possess the geological and technical characteristics necessary for an enhanced oil and gas recovery pilot. In parallel, the Directorate is examining the optimal stage in a field’s lifecycle for implementing such measures, recognising that timing plays a crucial role in achieving profitability.
“The objective is to identify fields that are well-suited for profitable production with the aid of advanced methods, which the operators should examine in more detail. This is urgent work, as the development of the NCS is already mature,” he added.
