OG21 – Oil and gas in the 21st century
Article | Last updated: 10/03/2021 | Ministry of Energy
The national technology strategy for the oil- and gas sector OG21 was established in 2001. It is organised by way of a board appointed by the Minister of Petroleum and Energy and a secretariat. OG21 is to enhance value creation on the Norwegian continental shelf and to promote export of Norwegian oil and gas technology.
OG21 has successfully gathered the support of petroleum companies, universities, research institutions and government for a joint national strategy for oil and gas. The unique cooperation within OG21 contributes to maximising the effect and goal- orientation of research in the Norwegian petroleum sector.
The OG21-strategy was revised in 2016 to address the challenges the sector is was then facing.
There is still a big potential for developing Norwegian petroleum resources in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate estimates that less than half of the resources on the Norwegian continental shelf has been exploited. A considerable part of the resources has yet to be discovered. One of the biggest challenges facing the petroleum sector is to develop new, efficient exploration technologies in order to discover new fields worth developing.
A second challenge is how to enhance recovery of existing fields. At the same time the oil and gas industry shall strive to reduce the environmental footprint and continously improve the safety performance. Research and technology will be crucial for both developing resources on the Norwegian shelf and maintaining the international competitiveness of Norwegian companies within the sector.
OG21 has five Technology Groups that work with technological areas crucial for future petroleum activities:
- Climate change and environment
- Subsurface understanding
- Drilling, completion, intervention and P&A
- Production, processing and transport
- Safety and working environment
In 2021 OG21 will revise its current strategy. The renewed strategy is due for publication in November.
OG21's main goal is to promote better and more focused public and private research efforts. OG21 also aims at enhancing cooperation between the different research communities from industry and academia.
Public funding is mainly allocated via the Norwegian Research Council's programs PETROMAKS, DEMO 2000 and PETROCENTRE, the government's main tools to follow up the national technology strategy.