A steering group of offshore companies has been appointed to work together to explore opportunities to maximise remaining gas reserves in the Southern North Sea (SNS)

Namely, operators, duty holders, service businesses and supply chain organisations will form the SNS Special Interest Group (SIG) as part of the initiative launched by the Oil & Gas Authority (OGA), Oil & Gas UK and the East of England Energy Group (EEEGR).

The SIG’s remit is wide - seeking to maximise economic recovery (MER) of gas reserves for at least another 20 years by identifying new opportunities, including examining the potential for carboniferous gas reserves, OGA explains.

The OGA added that the Group would also seek to nurture collaboration and co-operation between existing operators, and with offshore wind developers, as well as examining how equipment and processes might be standardised to drive costs down.

Companies selected for the steering group are: Shell, Oranje-Nassau Energie (ONE), Premier Oil, ENGIE E&P UK, Centrica, ODE, Aker Solutions, James Fisher & Sons, DNVGL, Sembmarine SLP, Baker Hughes, Lloyds Register, Fraser Well Management, Acteon, SSE and Statoil.

The SIG was launched by Eric Marston, OGA Southern North Sea and Morecambe Bay manager, at EEEGR’s House of Commons reception in October. Its first meeting will take place in December 2016.

Source: OGA