Tor Austad
07/06/2011
Professor Tor Austad has worked with chemical processes for EOR (enhanced oil recovery) since the first national programme for improved oil recovery, the NPD administered SPOR, started in 1985.
Since the RUTH programme in 1992, Austad has also worked on a chemical understanding of the wettability properties in chalk reservoirs.
Tor Austad supervised many students to doctorates, where several involved issues related to carbonates, which is the class that includes chalk reservoirs. This has resulted in more than 50 articles in international periodicals and many presentations at international conferences. The research has won significant international respect. For many years Austad has been one of the most important Norwegian contributors within the international IEA cooperation (International Energy Agency) regarding improved oil recovery. Austad also has an approved patent for wettability changes in carbonates.
Tor Austad’a work within wettability properties of chalk has received international recognition, and in cooperation with international oil companies, he has started research on water-based EOR for other carbonates such as limestone and dolomite.
He has also received support from oil companies to study wettability properties in sandstone reservoirs with a special focus on ”Low salinity flooding”.
Updated: 04/12/2023
Latest news
The gas bank in the Barents Sea
08/12/2023
Analyses show that the Barents Sea contains significant resources, probably more gas than oil. What needs to be done if Norway is to supply Europe with the requested volumes of gas?
Plenty of potential in tight reservoirs
06/12/2023
There are vast proven gas resources on the Norwegian shelf which are currently without development plans. Much of this gas is located in tight reservoirs – which makes it difficult to produce.
Drilling permit for well 7219/6-1
06/12/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Vår Energi AS drilling permit for well 7219/6-1 in production licence 1025 S, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
Valuable gas resources untouched
05/12/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has conducted a mapping of gas resources that, for various reasons, have yet to be developed. Several of these discoveries could be produced in a manner that is profitable from a socio-economic perspective.
Drilling permit for well 15/9-25
30/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Harbour Energy Norge AS drilling permit for well 15/9-25 in production licence 1138, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
Production figures October 2023
21/11/2023
Preliminary production figures for October 2023 show an average daily production of 1 981 000 barrels of oil, NGL and condensate.
Name change for the NPD
16/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) is changing its name to the Norwegian Offshore Directorate as of 1 January 2024. The new name reflects the additional responsibilities assigned to the directorate in recent years.
Drilling permit for well 35/11-28 S
16/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Equinor Energy ASA drilling permit for well 35/11-28 S in production licence 248 C, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
Drilling permit for well 35/6-4 A
15/11/2023
The Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) has granted Neptune Energy Norge AS drilling permit for well 35/6-4 A in production licence 929, cf. Section 13 of the Resource Management Regulations.
