Norwegian subsea firm bringing ROCS system to Equinor’s giant UK oil & gas field

Norwegian state-owned energy giant Equinor has hand-picked Optime Subsea, a compatriot provider of subsea solutions for the oil & gas industry, for the delivery of the remote operated controls system (ROCS), which will be used on a big oil & gas field located in the UK waters.

The ROCS system is said to transform the installation of production tubing in subsea wells by eliminating the need for umbilicals, thus resulting in significantly safer and faster operations and reducing the need for personnel in the red zone on the rig.

Thanks to the deal with Equinor, the ROCS system is expected to be implemented on the Rosebank field in June 2025. This will be the first ROCS contract between Optime Subsea and Equinor.

Equinor and its partner, Ithaca Energy, are investing $3.8 billion to develop the Rosebank field, situated approximately 130 kilometers northwest of Shetland. This field is said to contain the largest untapped reserves on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS).

The development plan for the Rosebank field encompasses subsea wells connected to the FPSO Petrojarl Knarr. The start-up of Phase I is scheduled for 2026-2027. 

At its maximum production capacity, Rosebank has the potential to generate 69,000 barrels of oil or 9.000 tons per day, constituting approximately 8% of the U.K.’s total output from 2026 to 2030.

“We continue to position ourselves by producing up to 10 systems per year to meet the future needs of the market,” said Jan-Fredrik Carlsen, CEO of Optime Subsea.

“We are thrilled to have entered into this contract with Equinor and to introduce the ROCS system to the Rosebank field. Our technology not only provides increased safety and efficiency but also represents a crucial step toward a sustainable and innovative future for the subsea industry.”

Equinor’s Rosebank field is located in deep waters, west of Shetland in the British part of the North Sea. According to Optime, the area is characterized by challenging weather conditions, which require advanced technological solutions to simplify installation and reduce installation time.

In February of 2023, Optime Subsea was awarded a long-term framework agreement by Wintershell Dea for the rental of remote-controlled subsea well completion and intervention systems.