The increased focus on efficient production of oil and gas and environmental considerations with respect to CO2 emissions offer new challenges to the petroleum sector. NGI's research contributes to new solutions by integrating geology, geophysics and geomechanics.

NGI's state-of-the-art expertise

• advanced rock mechanics tests and geophysical measurements
• geomechanical modelling and numerical analysis
• geomechanical behaviour of intact and fractured chalk, shale and sandstone

Services related to petroleum geomechanics

Petroleum geomechanics is about determining and understanding the properties of geological formations. This knowledge is used in oil and gas exploration for and development and production of oil and gas fields.

NGI works on problems in well or field scale. In well scale we  work with borehole stability, well integrity, hydraulic fracturing, sand production and the interaction between formation and casing. In field or reservoir scale we work with is used to characterise fractures, faults, intact rock, and to model their behaviour during production.

Research and development
NGI's current research is focused primarily on rock physics, structural geology and faults, and on storage of CO2 in geological formations. Our challenges are related to:

• static and dynamic properties of shale and sandstone
• the relationships between induced seismicity and fracture mechanisms in reservoirs and cap rock formations during production of oil and gas
• formation and properties of faults
• integrity of cap rocks for storing of CO2, physical and chemical interaction between CO2 liquid and formation or cement used for plugging wells

Our long-term strategy is based on Norways national strategy OG21.  NGI scientists are participating in several of the OG21 work groups (www.og21.org).