IKM Subsea has begun onshore-controlled remote operated vehicle (ROV) operations from the company’s headquarters in Bryne, Norway.
IKM began what it described on Wednesday as “the world’s first commercial onshore controlled ROV operations” on Monday, June 12.
The company added that up to three work-class ROVs and one observation ROV on Statoil’s Snorre B and Visund installations would, in the near future, be controlled from IKM Subsea’s onshore control center.
One of the work-class ROVs has been designed and engineered to be permanently based on the seabed and will only be brought to the surface for periodic maintenance, the company noted.
The company acceptance test (CAT) with Statoil was completed on June 12 with the ROV at Snorre B and the dual control center now up and running.
Hans Fjellanger , business development manager at IKM Subsea, said: “We foresee significant cost saving for our clients with less POB and increasing operational time offshore for the ROVs.
“With this setup and proven technology in place, we see this as the first of many stepping stones into the future of ROV technology for IKM Subsea.”