Fact box – Surprises

Surprises will always occur in exploration. They are normally termed "serendipitous" by the industry, meaning a happy chance or "finding what you weren’t looking for".

Many people would argue that serendipity is not a matter of good luck, but reflects experience and insights acquired over a long time and combined with an open and curious mindset.Taking account of surprises when estimating undiscovered resources is difficult.

Unexpectedly large discoveries such as Johan Sverdrup can seldom or never be included in the uncertainty range for resource estimates in mature areas. New digital methods such as machine learning and deep learning may provide more surprises in coming years. Being aware that unexpected outcomes may occur is in itself a form of knowledge. However, taking account of such awareness in resource classification and estimating is demanding [5].