Share this article
Norwegian ocean services provider DeepOcean has completed subsea tie-in work using diverless technology for an oil and gas development tied back to an existing floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel in the UK sector of the North Sea.
DeepOcean has completed a subsea construction and tie-in assignment at the Teal West offshore oil and gas development project on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) for Anasuria Operating Company (AOC), a UK-based firm jointly controlled by Ping Petroleum and Hibiscus Petroleum ’s Anasuria Hibiscus UK .
Located in the Central North Sea, the field has been developed as a subsea tie-back to the existing FPSO Anasuria , deployed at the Anasuria cluster. The FPSO was installed and commissioned in 1996. Afterward, the Guillemot A , Cook , Teal , and Teal South fields were tied back to the unit.
At the end of August 2024, Ocean Installer , part of the Moreld Group , was put in charge of the Teal West subsea tie-back project to extend the production lifespan of the FPSO, with offshore operations planned to start in fall 2025. The Teal West oilfield lies in production license P2535 within Block 21/24d, approximately 155 kilometers northeast of Peterhead and 87 kilometers west of the UK-Norway median.
DeepOcean’s scope of work included the installation of a flexible production riser and flowline, together with an umbilical connecting the FPSO to the Teal West subsea Christmas tree. The job also entailed the protection of the flowline and umbilical, as well as the commissioning of the newly installed infrastructure.
The operation was executed using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) combined with specialized tooling, replacing the need for diver intervention traditionally required for such tasks, as the company’s proprietary-designed tie-in tool performs diverless connections for high-pressure flanges, enabling the connection of pipes and valves with the use of subsea robotics.
Richard Beattie , CEO of Anasuria, commented: “Teal West is an excellent example of what can be achieved when operators, contractors and service companies work together towards a common goal. At a time when our industry faces significant uncertainty, projects like this showcase the expertise, innovation and collaboration that continue to underpin the UK North Sea.
“DeepOcean has been a trusted partner throughout the development, helping to deliver a successful subsea tie-back that maximises the value of existing infrastructure. Projects like Teal West highlight the important role that existing infrastructure can play in supporting secure domestic energy production, sustaining skilled jobs and delivering long-term value from the UK North Sea.”
While the field development encompasses two production wells and a water injection well, one production well will initially be connected to the FPSO Anasuria via approximately three kilometers of subsea flowlines. This FPSO is situated around 180 kilometers east of Aberdeen at about 90 meters of water depth.
Robin Mawhinney , EVP EMEA at DeepOcean, emphasized: “We’re proud to have supported Anasuria in the successful delivery of the subsea scope of Teal West development and would like to congratulate the team on bringing the field on stream. The project demonstrates the strength of our integrated engineering and offshore execution capabilities and the important role subsea tie-backs play in maximising the value of existing offshore infrastructure.”
DeepOcean’s Aberdeen office led the engineering and project management for the subsea construction and tie-in scope of work, with offshore operations executed in a phased approach. The Norwegian player elaborates that subsea construction and tie-in activities were completed first, followed by commissioning performed by a second offshore construction vessel from its chartered fleet.
Meanwhile, DeepOcean recently won and concluded multiple assignments, including subsea removal activities at two North Sea fields operated by Spirit Energy.