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.”