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EUROSTARS-EUROSTARS

E!115080 - SubcID™ Offshore oil and gas exploration by DNA-biomarkers, seismic data and ocean-bottom nodes deployed in swarms

Alternative title: Offshore olje og gas leting ved å benytte DNA-biomarkører, seismiske data og autonome sjøbunns noder som operert i svermer.

Awarded: NOK 3.5 mill.

Project Number:

326555

Project Period:

2021 - 2024

Funding received from:

Organisation:

Location:

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SubcID™ is a potentially revolutionary passiv method for oil and gas exploration. The projct aim at collecting a large number of soil samples, over known offshore production fields (with confirmed hydrocarbone existense) and areas where dry well is previously being drilled. Based on this consolidated data set an additional set of unmarked samples will be DNA-analysed and benchmarked, to see if a soilsample of microbes can determine the existense of oil and or gas in the reservoir below. A key facilitator is the autonomous drop-node - Oceanid™, that based on pure gravity, and balast shift, will enable an efficient and safe colection of samples, utilizing only a small crew and light-asset topside support. The aim is to collect samples in deep water, on a vessel-of-upportunity without the need for support from underwater vehicles etc., at a speed surpassing existing methology used to date by a factor of 5. If succesful, this method will represent a passive, eg no airgun source required, and energy efficient alternativ to lare scale offshore exploration for oil and gas. The method can also be combined with other aquisition of other dataset to complement the DNA-biomarkers.

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This Eurostars proposal will develop, test and qualify a novel hydrocarbon exploration method for deep waters. This will be achieved by combining an novel concept and efficient drop-nodes for seismic data acquisition with seabed soil sampling and DNA-fingerprinting. These new methods will be based on the combined results of individual Dutch and Norwegian EU-H2020 funded research under the EASME scheme. The conolidated methods will be innovative and cost-effective compared to currently used surface deployed drop-core method. Field pilot test(s) offshore Norway are envisaged in collaboration with oil companies. These tests will be used to calibrate and qualify the new methods and tools, as well as to provide new types of comparable data sets that may be used for future oil and gas exploration. Three main challenges is addressed during this research project - the autonomous swarm technology based on the drop-node Oceanid, the mechanical sampling method and the DNA-analysis of the seabed soil samples.

Funding scheme:

EUROSTARS-EUROSTARS