Tight Gas

The NSTA estimates that there is potential for up to 3.8 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of remaining gas resources within the Southern North Sea (SNS), inclusive of infill opportunities, undeveloped discoveries and prospects.

Tight gas reservoirs are often disregarded as both high cost and high risk. Licence holders tend to focus their resources on opportunities that are less complex, have lower development costs and higher recovery factors.

Beyond the immediate benefits, the development of tight gas opportunities also has the ability to extend the economic life of remaining infrastructure and thereafter stimulate field redevelopments, as well as, marginal pools. Further tangible benefits may also be derived by the local supply chain through the stimulation of activity, as well as, building local capability and expertise in tight gas.

 The NSTA’s tight gas ambition is to:

• Encourage the economic development of some 3.8 tcf from tight gas reservoirs across the SNS
• Support existing tight gas projects and ensure readiness for future projects
• Support collaboration to reduce both costs and risks by sharing knowledge and expertise
• Identify and promote opportunities to campaign activities across licences and drive economies of scale
• Ensure appropriate technology is developed and deployed to support the economic recovery of tight gas, consistent with demand 

The SNS Tight Gas Stimulation document provides information on the development of tight gas reservoirs in the SNS, ranging from the geology of the basin through to the deployment and execution of stimulation technologies.

The purpose of this document is to help industry efficiently conduct the stimulation of tight gas reservoirs in the UK Southern North Sea (SNS). The document is intended to provide relevant information aimed at existing and new entrant SNS operators who may benefit from an overview of stimulation techniques and new technologies.