One of the primary recommendations of the Wood Review is for Government and Industry to develop and commit to a new strategy for Maximising Economic Recovery from the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS). To achieve this recommendation several strategies are proposed. These cover the key UKCS areas which require enhanced development to ensure that the UK maximises the production of its assets.As part of the Technology Strategy, there is push to apply better reservoir management techniques on a cost effective basis. In order to manage a reservoir appropriately, the produced fluids have to be measured accurately. Typically in the UK, this is accomplished through the use of Well Tests and associated equipment -namely test separators supported by single-phase flow measurement technologies.Well test data is critical to operations in the offshore industry and covers a wide variety of applications. The data can be used to allocate produced fluids to particular wells either directly, or through verification of multiphase flowmeters. The data can also be used in the determination of reservoir size and in the positioning of new wells and installations. Another key use of well test data is in the optimisation of well production where well stream parameters can be altered to maximise hydrocarbon production levels.However, recent first-hand audit experience by DECC suggests that well test measurement systems may not be operating at their optimal levels. For instance, primary measurement elements (flowmeters) are often not removed and recalibrated on a routine basis. There is also evidence of flowmeters being exposed to two phase flows resulting in meter degradation. In addition, the interval between the testing of individual wells may extend to several weeks, with the flow rates between tests inferred by interpolation. The risk is therefore that these measurements may result in a measurement bias. This paper will present work completed on behalf of DECC into the current state of the art for well testing in the UKCS. North Sea operators have been questioned and their responses used to calculate typical uncertainties achieved during well testing. The significance of the uncertainty in measurement is highlighted through case studies into the impact on the applications that use well test data. Finally, alternative methods to current well testing practice are discussed with their expected impact on the UK offshore oil & gas industry.The submitted paper provides evidence and recommendations in line with the ethos of the Wood Review, as well as assisting industry to achieve the goals and step-wise improvement in performance, which the Review demands.

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