Asterix and Obelix – the largest pressure chambers in their class

The world’s largest pressure chambers were recently unveiled, when NUI opened its hyperbaric test centre on the 1st of September 2020. The pressure chambers, named Asterix and Obelix, feature a unique design combined with high functionality. Built by Optime Subsea, they are the largest in their class.

“Asterix and Obelix were a distinctive challenge as far as pressure chambers are concerned, because they are unique on both a Norwegian and international scale,” says Rolf Røssland, CEO of NUI AS.

A unique project

What made this project unique is first and foremost that both pressure tanks are amongst the world’s largest.

“The pressure chambers we have delivered to NUI are, as far as we understand, the biggest in their class globally. Obelix has an inner diameter of 1.8 metres and a maximum pressure of 700 bars, while Asterix has an inner diameter of 1.2 metres and a maximum pressure of 1000 bars. This corresponds to water depths of 7 000 and 10 000 metres, respectively,” explains Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO of Optime Subsea.

Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO of Optime Subsea
About Optime Subsea

The size of these pressure chambers enables the testing of large machinery, which are to be sent down to extremely deep water. Both Carlsen and Røssland are happy about both the collaboration and the end result.

Rolf Røssland, CEO of NUI

“I am very pleased with the delivery from Optime Subsea. What characterises a good manufacturer is not just delivering a good end product, but also how they handle the challenges along the way. Optime has proven to be the right choice for us. All obstacles have been handled well by a professional team and the end product is absolutely in line with expectations,” says Røssland.

Each chamber weighs 140 tonnes and was built, tested, and certified for use at Optime Subsea in Notodden. Next, the pressure chambers were transported and then installed at NUI in Bergen. The project to complete and deliver the chambers was set at 35 million Norwegian Krones.

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Testing machines that will operate in deep water

Both Asterix and Obelix have Optime Subsea’s unique design and technical solutions onboard. To date, the oil service company has delivered 12 pressure chambers, in different sizes and with different pressures, globally.

Pressure chambers are mostly used to test machines that are to be sent down into deep water. This is to ensure that they can withstand the ambient pressure at their particular water operating depth.

“Companies operating in subsea oil and gas are the primary customers for such systems. However, we have also delivered smaller pressure chambers to various institutions that will send machines into the sea for research purposes. In addition, we are actively developing solutions for other industries. For example, we see pressure processing of food and lumber as one of many exciting future opportunities,” adds Jan-Fredrik Carlsen.

Optime Subsea’s philosophy is to develop innovative and cost-effective solutions that will simplify a client’s operations. In recent years, Optime has worked hard to develop a broad expertise in pressure related technology, which will without a doubt benefit both existing and future customers.

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Subsea champions

Optime Subsea is actively working to both develop and preserve local expertise, not just for the benefit of the industry but for the county municipality as a whole.

Strategically located at the edge of ‘Energy Valley’ Optime Subsea has experienced both success and growth since its inception in 2015. For Optime Subsea, internal expansion and development are of the utmost importance. In order to achieve this they utilise the vast pool of talent that is to be found in the local area. This in turn positions Optime Subsea as a major contributor to the overall economic wellbeing of the Vestfold and Telemark regions.

– Despite the fact that we have grown from only four employees to almost 50 in just five years we are still a relatively small player in our industry. This means competition from China and other low-cost countries is fierce. Fortunately we have many high quality suppliers right here in Vestfold and Telemark and we choose to deal with these suppliers and to build close relationships to increase future collaboration.

Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO of Optime Subsea

Reducing costs

– We have our offices on the edge of what is known as Energy Valley, a location consisting of a cluster of companies boasting an incredible amount of expertise. But where some of our competitors might choose to move this expertise out of Norway, we want to conserve it. It is precisely by preserving and developing this unique talent that we will also contribute to the growth of this industry in Norway, Carlsen continues.

Optime Subsea’s primary business consists of services related to the maintenance of subsea offshore installations and was established, according to Carlsen, to offer a more cost-effective alternative in an increasingly expensive industry.

More about Optime Subsea
A broad range of products

– We were four colleagues who made the decision to start our own business when we observed that the subsea maintenance industry was becoming significantly more expensive. We had a vision to develop new cutting-edge technology that would reduce the cost and time required for subsea operations, thereby offering cost-effective solutions for installations, maintenance and retraction of oil and gas wells.

Jan-Fredrik Carlsen

– In our company, we work with systems engineering, so we have high skill levels within the many various engineering disciplines. Our engineers build the component elements for our products which are then assembled and tested in our own production facility in Notodden. Optime Subsea then outsources the machining of parts to local subcontractors in Vestfold and Telemark, thus contributing to economic growth in the county municipality, continues Carlsen.

An adaptable model

After having entered the business as a versatile alternative to the traditional big players, Carlsen believes that a large part of the company’s success is down to the work they do to help develop their own workforce.

– It is the employees who in reality are the core value of our company, so it is naturally very important for us to take care of them. Among other things, we offer development through further education and a variety of other courses that support the skillset we strive to possess in Optime Subsea, he adds.

– The fact that we entered this business as an adaptable alternative in an often rigid industry, and by doing so gained many satisfied customers, proves our capacity for further growth. We are innovative, forward-thinking and with a working culture based on team spirit. Our success is down to the reality of starting with a blank sheet, and from there we developed a completely new, cost-effective and revolutionary technology utilising local know-how, Carlsen finishes.


The text above is a translated version of Andreas Aguilera Myrvold’s text at www.næringslivnorge.no.

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New board members of Optime Subsea

Our board of directors includes proficient persons with broad competence and experience from different fields and companies.

We are proud to introduce our newest board members; Tone-Marie Amlie Wahlstrøm and Svenn Ivar Fure. They will be valuable contributors to our board.

  • Tone-Marie Amlie Wahlstrøm
  • Svenn Ivar Fure

Bringing innovation and digital competence

Tone-Marie Wahlstrøm is Head of Customer Centric Banking in TietoEVRY and one of our new board members. She occupies a deep professional competence about digitalisation processes. Tone Marie has at impressing short time build up an innovative department at her present employer, by addressing the possibilities and the challenges the digital shift represents.

– Tone Marie complements the board with her digital competence. I hope she can bring new perspectives to the board, based on her experiences from other industries.

Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO at Optime Subsea

– Being an intrepreneur, an entrepreneur in a bigger firm, Tone-Marie has an understanding of what it takes to build and scale up a company like Optime. An effective up scaling requires the ability to digitalize more of the processes which today are done manually or by ineffective systems. We believe Tone-Marie will guide us in this work, Reidar Tveiten, Chair of the Board, says.

An excellent sparring partner

Our new board member Svenn Ivar Fure is CEO at Norsun. He has a considerable relevant strategic and operational experience. As a board member he will be an excellent sparring partner in the phase Optime now is moving into.

– Being CEO in a technology company, Sven Tore has valuable insights from another industry, which may have overlapping issues with Optime. He can provide Optime with valuable insights.

Reidar Tveiten, Chair of the Board

– Working with him at an earlier employer I have competed with Svenn Ivar. He did undoubtedly a very good job selling competing solutions. I therefore look forward to discussing commercial as well as operational issues with him, Jan-Fredrik Carlsen says.

See a complete overview of Optime’s board members here.

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Equinor selects Optime Subsea to bridge the gap in All-Electric fields

For over a decade, Optime has been the driver in moving hydraulic energy and control from topside to the seabed. This technology is also proving beneficial for All-Electric fields, where certain valve functions may require hydraulic control. Equinor have selected Optimes Hydraulic Pump for its future All-Electric initiative.

All-Electric solutions are attractive in subsea systems for enabling cost effective and standardised field developments. In traditional systems, hydraulic valves and equipment on the seabed is supplied and controlled from topside via hydraulic piping over long umbilicals. All-Electric fields may eliminate most of these hydraulic elements as well as related cost and risk by actuating all the valves and controls electrically. The last remaining valve to be operated by hydraulics is the Surface Controlled Subsurface Safety Valve (“SCSSV”). This is where Optime’s subsea hydraulic pump (“sHPU”) is providing local hydraulic power and control subea, and as such succesfully enabling the Operators to implement their new All-Electric technology.

“We have worked with Equinor on identifying the most optimized technical and commercial solution for its All- Electric subsea production systems for a while. By leveraging our experience in subsea hydraulic pump technologies, we now have a single unit pump, with redundant pistons and electronics that only requires almost the same amont of power as a lightbulb. This sHPU will contribute to optimizing project implementation cost to assist future operators drive to more electric and potential unmanned subsea production fields”.

Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO Optime Subsea

The implementation of an All-Electric water depth independent system is a big step towards cost effective subsea solutions for the future. It allows for digitalization to increase control, maintenance, and source all the power from cleaner resources. While it is the intent to have all electrical controls and equipment, Equinor has selected Optime to provide this very small, low-cost and robust sHPU to drive all of its SCSSV valves where electric controls is not preferred. Eliminating the hydraulics in the host umbilical will enable new opportunities in field development, as well as making smaller fields safer, greener and financially attractive.

Find a place in our team


“Last year we delivered the subsea electric power and distribution control module for ABB with its partners in Equinor, Total and Chevron. Now, we are providing the sHPU for Equinor – both developments being All-Electric driven. Continuing this path, but with a significantly greater value directed at operators’ mature field and their cost reducing efforts, is our completed fully autonomous subsea battery and software controls system. The subsea industry is continously in the forefront technically and for future innovative, cheap and environmentally friendly solutions – we believe to be positioned as a preferred partner”

Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO Optime Subsea
CTO Tor Øystein Carlsen is pleased to provide innovative technology, now to Equinor.

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

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Optime delivers two ultra-deep pressure chambers to NUI

As a long leading expert within testing and verification of subsea tools and equipment, NUI makes a new investment in two ultra-deep pressure chambers from Optime Subsea. One 1000 bar named Asterix and one 700 bar named Obelix.

The chambers unique design, with supplied test baskets and parking stands, makes the mobilisation and equipment loading into chambers safe and efficient.

Read more about the delivery on NUI.no, or follow this link: https://www.nui.no/2020/07/02/deepest-and-largest-pressure-chambers-nuis-new-test-facilities/

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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

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Optime Gets New Contracts for Newly Introduced Products

Optime Subsea have secured a large international contracts as a direct result of increasing its product portofolio.

Optime have developed its competence, as well as products and systems, to include topside equipment interfacing to its subsea systems.

In order to control Opime’s existing subsea systems, it will require a cable/umbilical to provide power and communication signals from the topside computer systems, subsea. This cable is spooled on a reel managing both bend and tension, down to 3 000m water depth.

These new systems, the reel and the operator cabin combined with a test hydraulic unit, are now designed and ready for delivery.

Read the full news on Subseanewsworld.com

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The design and qualification of ABB, Equinor, Chevron and Total’s subsea control module is complete

Optime Subsea finalizes the design and qualification of the innovative and modular subsea control module as part of ABB’s Joint Industry Program with Equinor, Chevron and Total. Now ABB have completed the 3 000 hour shallow water test successfully.

Any industry change needs a disruptive mindset, technology and culture, someone like … Optime☺️. However, without a champion, someone willing to stick the neck out and actually work with the disruptors, the road is uphill for anyone, large or small.

At Optime we have succeeded trying both and can praise ourselves for the innovation and cost savings brought to the subsea oil and gas industry. But we have to admit there is a world of difference when you have a customer, or phrased in a another word, a partner, who takes that leap of faith. We have proved it several times already, we work with any customer, operators or service providers, delivering lower overall cost, improved technology and in full transparency serve the customer! We are going to be THE PREFERRED independent controls and intervention provider.

Last summer was one of those times, ABB and its JIP partners Equinor, Chevron and Total awarded Optime the contract to qualify a universal control module for their $100M subsea power distribution system; design and qualify the module to requirements within the next 12 months. Of course we succeeded, but through a prosperous partnership with customers and suppliers. ABB have now completed its 3 000hrs shallow water test and we are all ready to take part in another subsea energy transition, one that will significantly reduce the carbon footprint.

“This is a significant collaborative achievement between all the partners of the JIP and everyone in Optime. Now we are looking forward to producing multiple of these control modules to further improve the subsea oil and gas industry” says Trond Løkka, CBDO of Optime Subsea.

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Aker BP successfully carries out North Sea decommissioning using cutting edge technology

Aker BP selected Optime Subsea as a provider of well access system and -services on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

Optime Subsea’s system, Subsea Controls and Intervention Light System (SCILS), have now successfully completed a two well Plug & Abandonment campaign on Jette field, saving rig time, personnel and equipment.

Aker BP is continously improving operations and lowering costs. After signing the new semi-submersible drilling rig Deepsea Nordkapp, a large, stable rig built specifically for the Norwegian climate, Aker BP announced the long-term lease of Optime’s new subsea hydraulic pump Intervention Workover & Controls (IWOC) system.

Traditionally, the IWOC systems typically have consisted of large 20-ft topside containers with equilly large umbilical and reels, carrying all hydraulics and electrical power. These systems may have a total weight of up to 50T.

Optime Subsea’s SCILS moves the hydraulic control from topside to subsea, resulting in no need for topside container and a dramatic reduction in size of the umbilical and reel. The SCILS have a total weight of 3-7T, depending on the reservoir size and configuration.

To illustrate how the SCILS differs from traditional IWOC systems and operations, Aker BP chose to demobilize the SCILS after its two well P&A campaign on Jette field on the Nowegian Continental Shelf in the North Sea. In preparation for its new completions work on Skogul field, Aker BP will perform the complete interface testing towards the Xmas tree at Optime Subsea’s workshop in Notodden, Norway. This simplifies interface challenges, which normally would be discovered on rig and thereby further saving the Norwegian based operator rig cost and time. This can only be carried out because of the small sized SCILS. It mobilizes or demobilizes in a day, compared to traditional systems requiring 5-7 days each.

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Optime Subsea Wraps Up Jette Field Campaign for Aker BP

Optime Subsea has completed a two well plug & abandonment campaign on the Jette field for Aker BP, on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

The work was completed utilizing Optime Subsea’s Subsea Controls and Intervention Light System (SCILS).

Aker BP chose to demobilize the SCILS after its two well P&A campaign on the Jette field in the North Sea.

In preparation for its new completions work on the Skogul field, Aker BP will perform the complete interface testing towards the Xmas tree at Optime Subsea’s workshop in Notodden, Norway.

Optime Subsea’s SCILS moves the hydraulic control from topside to subsea, resulting in no need for topside container and a dramatic reduction in size of the umbilical and reel. The SCILS have a total weight of 3 – 7T, depending on the reservoir size and configuration.

“Aker BP continues to search for value creation by exploring new and innovative ways to optimize its assets and operations. We decided using Optime Subsea’s SCILS because it ties well into our strategy of continuous improvement and simplification of our well access operations. Using new technology always brings some risk associated with it, but the integrated planning resulted in a successful execution,” said Mads Rodsjo, VP D&W Functional Excellence in Aker BP.

“We are very proud of how well the operations and one team relationship with Aker BP developed. We have a few more technology developments up our sleeve, but for the most part, our controls and intervention systems are modular and field proven and truly cutting-edge in the industry. We look forward to grow the global supply of SCILS and similar systems” added Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO of Optime Subsea.

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