Data from the analysis project that Earth Science Analytics carried out on assignment from the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) in 2021 is now available for download.

Data about reservoir properties in a total of 545 wells has been published, and includes porosity, water saturation, lithology and which sections of the well are classified as potentially hydrocarbon-bearing.

The map on the left shows all the wells included in the study. The one on the right shows wells with potential missed pay. The height of the columns indicates the thickness of the overlooked intervals.

The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has been involved in two studies to see if machine learning and artificial intelligence can be used to study well logs from existing wells to find hydrocarbons that were potentially overlooked, so-called “potential missed pay”.

Potential missed pay are intervals in the wells that were not registered as hydrocarbon-bearing when the wells were drilled, but later analyses show there could be hydrocarbons there.

The NPD contributed to a study commissioned by British authorities that was completed in 2020. The study showed that there are numerous wells with potential missed pay.

Now, Earth Science Analytics (ESA) has followed up this study, on assignment from the NPD, and reviewed 545 wells in the North Sea. Most exploration wells in the North Sea have now been analysed to find potential missed pay.

KeyFacts Energy Industry Directory: Norwegian Petroleum Directorate