Offshore staff
BELGIUM — DEME Group NV has formed a strategic cooperation with Transocean. As part of its investment, Transocean is contributing the Ocean Rig Olympia vessel for DEME subsidiary Global Sea Mineral Resources' (GSR) ongoing exploration work, a cash investment and engineering capacity.
In return, Transocean is receiving a minority stake, including a board seat, in GSR.
GSR specializes in ultradeepwater mineral exploration and seafloor nodule collection technology.
Following the successful trial of GSR’s pre-prototype seafloor nodule collector in 2021 at 4,500 m water depth, a key task ahead for GSR is a system integration test (SIT), scheduled for 2025. The SIT, for which the converted ultradeepwater vessel shall be instrumental, will entail a trial of a full-scale seafloor nodule collector and riser to lift the nodules to the surface vessel and is part of GSR’s step-by-step and precautionary approach to project and technology development as the company explores the feasibility of commercial operations.
“Critical metals, such as nickel, cobalt, copper and manganese—found in polymetallic nodules—are key ingredients for a low-carbon future. Deep-seabed mining certainly won’t replace land-based mining entirely; however, according to peer-reviewed scientific literature, these metals could be delivered with a 40% reduction of the carbon footprint, which is essential when combating climate change,” said Kris Van Nijen, GSR managing director.
DEME Group CEO Luc Vandenbulcke added, “Since the International Energy Agency reported that society will need six times more metals by 2040 to become a net-zero society in 2050, there have been many national initiatives to secure the necessary supply of raw materials. From the US Inflation Reduction Act, the Australian & Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy to the EU Critical Minerals Act, society is now fully aware of the geopolitical and environmental risk of the clean energy transition. As a result, the development of marine minerals has gained considerable momentum to help supply the responsible minerals needed to meet demand due to increased population, urbanization, and transition to a clean energy future and circular economy. Both DEME and Transocean plan to play an important role in the development of a responsible deep seabed minerals sector.”
02.10.2023
