Offshore projects: Vår Energi and OneSubsea shift to early engagement and standardization

By Conci Maduli-Bush, SLB OneSubsea

In 2022, Vår Energi set a target for its future developments: deliver more projects and deliver them faster. Meeting that ambition required early visibility into cost, schedule and feasibility, right when key decisions were being made. However, this can be difficult, because in the traditional contracting model, scopes are fragmented and multiple handovers occur, slowing decisions and adding complexity.

“What we see is that the process gets cluttered,” said Frode Sivertsen, vice president of project development at Vår Energi. “There are too many interfaces and too much back and forth before we see real progress, and that’s what creates delays and extra work.”

Suppliers like OneSubsea face the same issues. Repeated bidding cycles add uncertainty, and each new project starts with a new team and new assumptions, making alignment more difficult.

In short, the traditional model disrupts continuity and hinders delivery.

The partnership approach

Early gains and impact

Since adopting the model, more than 20 early-phase studies have been completed, the first full deployment is underway and five new projects are planned for 2026.

The "Balder Next - New Wells" project provides an early example. Vår Energi had set a schedule that many considered unrealistic, but through early commitment on equipment and standardized equipment, the joint team confirmed it was achievable.

“What the Balder Next - New Wells project has showed us is that the constraint wasn’t the schedule; it was the way we used to work,” Sivertsen said. “If the teams are aligned early, the path forward becomes much clearer.”

Is this approach competitive enough?

Some question whether a partnership model reduces competitiveness. Vår Energi takes a broader view: gains in speed, predictability and the likelihood of a project being sanctioned often outweigh any theoretical savings from repeated competitive studies and bids.

“Competitiveness is, of course, key, and we actively use benchmarks to ensure costs are at the right level,” Sivertsen said. “But if you only focus on achieving the lowest bid number, you miss the real value. This approach reduces uncertainty, and that’s what keeps projects moving instead of stalling.”

This collaborative approach also creates room for joint optimization and cost savings in offshore installations, drilling and life-of-field operations.

Conclusion

As expectations for predictable delivery grow, operators are rethinking how projects should be structured. OneSubsea’s experience with Aker BP and Vår Energi shows that a partnership model built on early engagement, integrated teams and standard solutions can meaningfully improve execution.

The approach requires trust and new ways of working, but the benefits are becoming clear across multiple developments.

“We’ve learned over the years that teams adapt quickly once they see the proof that the concept works. The approach removes noise from the process, and that gives everyone more time to focus on what actually moves the project,” Aas concluded.

For Vår Energi, partnership remains the most reliable path to delivering more projects, delivering them faster and reaching first oil earlier.