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Operator Aker BP and its strategic partner DeepOcean have completed the first advanced subsea intervention managed entirely from shore. The project was located at the Idun Nord field, situated within the Skarv area in the Norwegian Sea. This technical maneuver enabled well stabilization through gravel packing within a 12-hour timeframe, reducing the time window that typically extended up to 14 days.
The Remote Subsea Operation and Its Time Optimization
Regarding technical development, the companies coordinated seabed operations using a remotely operated vehicle connected in real time to the Remote Operations Center located in Haugesund. Initially, the vessel Dina Star was in the area to perform exclusive marine mapping activities and lacked the usual specialist personnel for a maintenance intervention. For this reason, the complete transfer of operational control to shore facilities avoided the mobilization of additional crew and full shift rotation offshore.
Likewise, stability in advanced communication systems facilitated constant interaction between the shore-based technical team and marine operators aboard the vessel. This working method reduced execution time for underwater inspection, repair, and technical maintenance activities.
From a corporate perspective, cost reduction and increased industrial safety represent the primary advantages of this operational modality. Jarle Marius Solland, director of subsea execution and exploration operations at Aker BP, noted that this scheme maximizes vessel utilization and enables experts to advise on multiple projects simultaneously. The executive emphasized planning flexibility as a determining factor for deployment success.
For its part, company management reaffirmed its commitment to automation integration in hydrocarbon production. Thomas Øvretveit, senior vice president of operations at Aker BP, confirmed that the institutional strategy contemplates massive use of drones and autonomous robots to consolidate its competitive position. The results obtained in the Norwegian Sea validate the entity’s technological plan toward a business model with reduced dependence on physical transfers and greater efficiency in executing critical tasks.
Source and photo: Aker BP
