Integrated study of Fluid Migration and Seepage in the Southern Norwegian North Sea - Impact on Hydrocarbons, Environment, and CO2 storage
Alternative title: Integrert studie av væskemigrasjon og -utsiving på havbunnen i sørlige norske Nordsjø – Innvirkning på hydrokarboner, miljø og CO2-lagring
Deep beneath the North Sea, organic-rich clay layers have been buried to depths of several kilometers. As these layers are buried, heat from the earth causes them to generate oil and gas. Remarkably, 98% of all the oil and gas generated in the North Sea has seeped out into the ocean over geological time. But where does this leakage occur? How much is actually seeping out? What are the environmental impacts? How does this natural fluid migration affect plans for CO2 storage, considering that fluids can naturally seep out in certain areas? And could this phenomenon provide new insights into where to explore for oil and gas?
These are the questions that the InFluSe project aims to answer. InFluSe stands for "Integrated study of Fluid Migration and Seepage in the Southern Norwegian North Sea - Impact on Hydrocarbons, Environment, and CO2 storage." Given the significant implications of hydrocarbon leakage in the North Sea, the project has attracted considerable interest. Led by the University of Bergen, InFluSe brings together partners from industry, academia, and government, including UiT, Equinor, AkerBP, Aarhus University, Geomar Kiel, the Institute of Marine Research, and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate.
Over the course of four years, the project will start with the hiring of four PhD candidates and a 20-day research cruise aboard the vessel G.O. Sars. The first PhD candidate will use satellite data to investigate where, when, and why oil is leaking in the North Sea. The second will analyze existing well, core, and seismic data to determine the pathways of hydrocarbon migration underground. The third will collect and process new high-resolution 3D seismic data in areas with significant leakage to understand how hydrocarbons penetrate through cap rocks. The final candidate will study geochemical and biological samples from hydrocarbon seeps to identify their origins, duration of activity, and environmental impacts.
In the Southern Norwegian North Sea (SNNS), analysis of satellite radar data supported by recent scientific cruise activity reveals a previously unknown pattern of natural oil seepage. This seepage pattern indicates the presence of a widespread and previously unknown hydrocarbon migration system. Combined with the extreme availability of subsurface data in the study area and our ability to conduct scientific cruises with state-of-the-art research vessels, the observed seepage pattern makes it possible to characterize and understand migration of fluids in sedimentary basins from source to seep, at a hitherto unparalleled level of detail. Through an integrated and cross-disciplinary research program, the InFluSe project partners will create a complete understanding of hydrocarbon migration and seepage in the SNNS through two scientific cruises, a comprehensive analysis and modelling program, and education of 4 PhDs and >10 MScs in the disciplines of geomatics, subsurface geology, geophysics and geochemistry. Firstly, we will determine the hydrocarbon migration pathways in the SNNS area and develop a baseline of natural hydrocarbon seepage in terms of distribution and rates that past and potential future well-related emissions can be evaluated against. Secondly, improved knowledge about distribution and rates of hydrocarbon seeps in the Norwegian North Sea will make it possible to assess the geological contribution of hydrocarbons, carbon and methane (the most important greenhouse gas after CO2) to the environment and atmosphere, something that is poorly understood from both a conceptual and regional perspective, and may be exacerbated by the shallow depth of seepage here. Thirdly, several CO2 storage licenses are in place in the SNNS and the impact of the observed seepage on the CO2 storage integrity in these areas will be addressed by InFluSe. Finally, understanding of pathways of hydrocarbon migration will help improve play models and de-risk exploration prospects.