A beacon in today’s market; Optime’s innovative technology contracted by Aker BP
A beacon in today’s market; Optime’s innovative technology contracted by Aker BP
After years of developing a technology that removes umbilical controlled tubing hanger operations, Optime Subsea have reached the point where they are ready to bring their system into operation. Aker BP will be the first user of a system to increase safety, and reduce operational time, cost, and environmental risk.
The globally dedicated intervention and controls provider Optime Subsea, based in Notodden, Norway, with office in Houston, TX, have established their position as an independent and preferred controls and intervention provider. Their relationship with Aker BP started with Optime’s innovative Subsea Controls & Intervention Light System («SCILS») on the semi-submersible drilling rig, Deepsea Nordkapp, owned and operated by Odfjell Drilling. This collaboration has now been extended with Aker BP bringing Optime’s Remotely Operated Controls System (“ROCS”) onboard this same rig.
“In Aker BP we are continously working on improving our subsea operations, making them safer, simpler and more cost efficient. This contract award will be an important part of this work, as well as acknowledging the continued successful collaboration with Optime. We have identified another breaktthrough technology which will further improve our operations. With ROCS, Aker BP can substantially reduce its completions time and cost by removing the umbilical. We avoid the costly mobilization, increase our weather window, as well avoid unneccessary “Red Zone” work”, acknowledges Mads Rødsjø, Special advisor Aker BP Drilling & Well
Controlling the tubing hanger running tool is currently done through a dedicated umbilical controlled from a large topside hydraulic unit. When deploying, the umbilical is clamped to the riser for increased stabilization. The operation is traditionally time consuming, and the clamping will result in hours of additional higher risk operations. Using the ROCS will significantly reduce the time spent on this operation. Optime’s ROCS offers the same controls functionality to the tubing hanger, without the topside hydraulic unit and without a large, heavy and costly umbilical and controls system.
“Until completing a few runs we will not be able to affirmatively state the total days in savings for subsea well completions, but we are convinced that this system will provide Aker BP and all other operators days, not hours, in savings, for every single well. Although today’s market is hard to predict, we are definitely able to see the future with this system being ready by end of the year – there will be tremendous industry wide cost savings for everyone”, Trond Løkka, Optime’s Business Development Manager confirms.
Going back to 2015 when the oil and gas industry went through what was at the time one of the worst downturn the market had seen, Optime invested in developing the SCILS, a subsea pump IWOC system being used in various cost reducing subsea intervention applications. This ROCS delivery is now being kicked off in what appears to be the worst downturn in the indusrty to date. Timing for new technology doesn’t seem to be a coincidence for Optime.
“We are a company that grows organically. Although that can be a slower path to success, if we leverage our unique technological controls and intervention expertise, we are able to turn these major industry changing events into an opportunity to help and lead in the new market. Thanks to Aker BP’s focus on technology improving operations, we believe this to be one of those game changing moments for the industry “, Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, Optime´s CEO says.
For further information, please contact:
(Norwegian) Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO Optime, tel: +47 414 60 996 , email: jfc@optimesubsea.com
(International) Thor-Arne Lovland, CCO Optime, tel: +1 832 904 6842, email: tal@optimesubsea.com
