Aker BP contracts Optime Subsea technology to increase safety, reduce cost and risk

Optime Subsea has announced its Remotely Operated Controls System (ROCS), a technology that removes umbilical controlled tubing hanger operations, will be used by Aker BP to increase safety, and reduce operational time, cost, and environmental risk.

Optime’s working relationship with Aker BP began when Optime’s Subsea Controls & Intervention Light System (SCILS) was deployed on the Deepsea Nordkapp semisubmersible rig, which is owned and operated by Odfjell Drilling. This collaboration has now been extended with Aker BP bringing Optime’s ROCS onboard this same rig.

“In Aker BP, we are continuously working on improving our subsea operations, making them safer, simpler and more cost efficient,” Mads Rødsjø, Special Advisor, Drilling & Well, Aker BP, said. “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 breakthrough 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 unnecessary red-zone work.”

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. Traditionally, the operation is 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,” Trond Løkka, Optime’s Business Development Manager, said. “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.”

When the oil and gas industry went through the 2015 downturn, Optime invested in developing the SCILS, a subsea pump IWOC system used in various cost reducing subsea intervention applications. This ROCS delivery is now being kicked off in the current downturn.

“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,” Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, Optime’s CEO, said. “Thanks to Aker BP’s focus on technology improving operations, we believe this to be one of those game changing moments for the industry.”