Equinor has awarded DeepOcean an eight-year subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) contract to support its operations in Norway and elsewhere in Europe, starting from 2027.
DeepOcean will allocate a large team of subsea engineers, a subsea tool pool, remote operations technologies, and a newbuild vessel that the company will charter a vessel from Rem Offshore.
The Rem Ocean will have dual-fuel engines that can operate on bio-methanol and biodiesel as well as a battery energy storage system and regenerative energy systems.
Olaf Hansen, managing director with DeepOcean Europe, said, “The vessel, which will serve as a platform for the contract, is projected to achieve a 90% reduction in emissions when operating on bio-methanol and a 30% reduction when using conventional fuels compared to existing IMR vessels. Additionally, it will be optimized for remote operations, facilitating a reduced need for marine and project crews offshore.”
Also onboard will be an autonomous inspection drone.
The vessel’s design is a collaborative effort between DeepOcean, Rem Offshore, Skipsteknisk and other suppliers. It will feature a 250-metric-ton electrical crane, two electric work ROVs in hangars, a 1,000-sq-m outside deck area and an inside hangar area of 350 sq m.
