Operators continue to focus on cost-effective installation solutions to support the development of more marginal hydrocarbon resources.
Emission reduction is an important priority for technology efforts in this category, with improved operational monitoring and controls leading to power management efficiencies and reductions in flared and vented gas.
Emission reduction technologies include:
- Onshore smart rooms for remote operations
- Remote inspection systems to reduce need for manned operations
- Innovative turret maintenance technologies to reduce need for off station work
- Hybrid power systems
- Waste heat recovery
- Fugitive gas leak monitoring of valves and pipework
- Flare combustion efficiency monitoring
- Flare gas recovery
- Vapour recompression to capture flash gas
Installations and topsides technologies
Operators reported 216 technologies related to design and equipment for surface installations in 2025, the second largest category after facilities management.
Operators’ focus includes:
- Process equipment able to cope with more complex fluid compositions
- Facilities monitoring and remote operations
- Increasing attention on power efficiencies and emission reduction
Sixteen operators carry at least five topsides technologies in their current plans, and 11 more operators report at least one technology.
Operators are focusing on commercially available technology, but 35% of technologies are in early development, late development/pilot or early commercialisation stages.
Industry relies on vendors to source technologies for new facilities and facility upgrades.
Operator-vendor partnerships (19%) address specific facility requirements for green-field projects and asset upgrades including emission reduction modifications.
Readiness definitions: Early development (TRL 1-4), late development/pilot (TRL 5-7), early commercialisation (TRL 8), proven (TRL 9)
Operators are focusing on intelligent plant analysis, retrofit gas turbine controls, use of AI and machine learning for analytics and event detection, and DCS and automated control systems. Also upgrading control systems and installing cloud-based upgrades to receive live stream data from offshore, re-instrumentation of Christmas trees, production monitoring and upgrade of alarm insights systems, remote operations from onshore remote operations centre.
- Remote operations: Remote ROV operations, via onshore remote operations centre in Aberdeen.
- TRL 9 commercially available (NEW)
- Production monitoring models at asset level: Rate independent monitoring of heat exchangers and vibration monitoring.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Well and flowline connectivity: Complete re-instrumentation of Christmas trees and flowlines to allow reliable, remote visibility of valve positions, pressures and temperatures and better shutdown functionality.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- TRL 9 commercially available
- ESD HMI upgrade: Upgrade existing system to improve control room operator platform shutdown response and control.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Alarm Insight System: Upgrade for improved functionality
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Retrofit gas turbine controls: Retrofit gas turbine controls plus removing obsolete items on package. More feedback into control system, provides greater feedback loop. Can add parts that move components for preservation reasons.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- DCS upgrade: The operators FPSO DCS system currently comprises a mixture of process controllers, together with associated IT/coms infrastructure and interfaces to other ICSS systems. Operator is undertaking a brownfield change-out/upgrade to address these issues.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Control system upgrades: Replacement of obsolete, disparate control systems on operators asset with a single, modern DCS.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Automatic Control System (ACS): Automation of ESP operations, automated control systems to operate ESPs automatically.
- TRL 9 commercially available
Technology Example:
Automatic control systems: ABB automated control system for ESPs.
- Cloud-based PI system: Deployed the PI system in the azure cloud-based system to receive the live data stream from offshore and ingest data from the morning report.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Machine learning software: Proof of concept that machine learning can highlight areas for improvement and potential diagnose very early event detection.
- TRL 1-4 early development
Operator focus remains on a small number of technologies including chemical dosage testing, produced water re-injection, and diluent optimisation/minimisation technologies. Although the number of individual technologies is small, some are used on multiple assets. No new technologies reported this year.
- Diluent optimisation/minimisation: Increase topside export pressure to facilitate crude cold start-up, minimising diluent usage and maintaining crude export pipeline flow assurance.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Corrosion inhibitor dosage system: A technology that provides information on optimal dosage of corrosion inhibitors by measuring micelle concentration. Benefits include increased asset integrity, reduced pipeline inspections, potential chemical cost reduction.
- TRL 9 commercially available
| Technology Example: | |
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Anpera Technologies' third generation of CoMic™Micelle analysis system provides results rapidly in the field. The data is easily integrated into databases, archives and visualisation software. Technology example link |
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- Produced water reinjection: Produced water reinjection is a method for eliminating the environmental impact of discharging produced water at offshore oil production sites. Reinjection of produced water has been carried out on several locations around the world. In most cases the activities have been concentrated on individual wells and have not included mixing the produced water with seawater prior to injection.
- TRL 9 commercially available
Operators' technology plans show a greater uptake of flare gas and flash gas recovery technologies including membrane and compact separation systems. More efficient valve technologies, liquid-ring compressors for flare gas recovery, and technology to decelerate scaling/fouling of topsides process equipment are also reported. Microbubble injection to enhance oil/water separation is included. New for 2025 are quick flange connectors, miniaturised methane sensors and LP mode instrumentation for nucleonic level detection systems.
- Weldless flange to pipe connections: Connectors deployed during 2024 shutdown to facilitate replacement of sections of an HP flare header. This reduced construction time offshore.
- TRL9 commercially available (NEW)
- Proprietary miniaturised methane sensor: Provides high resolution for leak grading. Paired with software and customised algorithm to offer localised, quantified emissions leak data in the field.
- TRL9 commercially available (NEW)
- Zero flaring: Fast opening, high integrity (SIL3), large bore automated ESD valves to support flare recovery concepts.
- TRL9 commercially available (NEW)
Technology Example:
Packages are certified to work in a SIL3 loop (SIL IEC 61508), providing reliable and rapid closure in the case of a system malfunction. They are tested and certified for transportation, harsh vibrating use, marine installation, and more.
- Brownfield flare gas recovery: Brownfield deployment of flare gas recovery units with a view to meeting zero routine flaring commitments.
- TRL9 commercially available
- TRL9 commercially available
- Eductor vapour recovery: Reduce the CO2 footprint from flaring of process flash gas. Use of the latest eductor vapour recovery compression technology to capture flash gas to reduce flaring.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Flare gas recovery to achieve zero flare gas emission: Develop a safe flare recovery system to recover flare gas, minimise CO2 emission, and reduce import gas usage.
- TRL9 commercially available
Technology Example:
A flare gas recovery unit (FGRU) is a system that captures flare gases and redirects them back into production workflows for reuse as fuel gas. This process helps to reduce routine flaring and emissions while saving operators on long-term production costs.
- Low shear valves: Control valve that minimises mixing energy. Inline and angle type. Leaves droplets intact to improve performance of subsequent separation / treatment.
- TRL9 commercially available
- TRL9 commercially available
- Microbubbles: Injection upstream of the degasser to enhance oil in water separation and therefore improve discharge performance.
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TRL 8 early commercialisation
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- Ceramic based static/passive membrane filtration system: A commercial ceramic based static / passive membrane system, which will allow offline oil removal from produced water.
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TRL 8 early commercialisation
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- Stemless valves: Axial flow stemless valves could remove fugitive emission and the reliability and integrity issues associated with a conventional valve. Also, they may reduce flow-induced instability in some services.
- TRL 8 early commercialisation
- LP mode instrumentation for reliability: Installation of nucleonic level detection systems to improve reliability and improve slugging. Nucleonic level detection systems are installed to enhance the reliability of low pressure mode instrumentation by providing a non-intrusive, real-time measurement of liquid or solid levels.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot (NEW)
- Super compact production separator: Working with the Net Zero Technology Centre to develop a super compact multi-phase separator with potential to add value across full asset life cycle.
- TRL 5-7 late development/Pilot
Operators' technology plans for 2025 report digital twin technology being applied in new ways for hull fatigue external structure modelling and new valve technology for TEG systems, high speed internet connections for FPSOs, 3D sonar scanning modelling of process systems, and integrated activity integration workbench software to combine three proprietary software systems for an integrated view to visualise and performance manage at site. Emerging technologies that are new this year are valve technology for contaminated fluids treatment and in-situ bearing replacement for swivel stack modification.
- High speed internet connection on FPSO: Serving as primary connectivity channel for both operation and recreation use.
- TRL9 proven technologies
- Cylindrical FPSO: Adopt cylindrical FPSO design for operators project to remove the need for turret and enable project to be economically feasible.
- TRL9 proven technologies
Technology Example:
Sevan 400 Cylindrical FPSO used for Shell’s Penguins field - Sevan hull design constructed by Shell at COOEC’s Qingdao Yard.
- Integrated data package: AiW Application combines data from the 3 core systems to provide users with an integrated view of what’s needed to execute and performance manage work at site.
- TRL 9 proven technologies
- 3D sonar scanning: Use of 3D sonar scan modelling of process system for implementation of integrity workscopes.
- TRL 9 proven technologies
- Methane sensor attached to Unmanned Aerial System (UAS): Methane emissions survey conducted using drone flight survey. Gathering of baseline data in support of methane action plan.
- QTRL 9 proven technologies
- 3D photogrammetry: Model of external structures using drone technology on FPSOs.
- TRL 8 early commercialisation
- Valve technology for contaminated fluids treatment: A new valve design in a TEG contactor system to allow large pressure drop at low flow for solid contaminated fluids treatment. Installed as a pilot project on an FPSO.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot (NEW)
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot (NEW)
- Diverless I-Tube integrity scans: The subsea team together with a selected vendor developed a diverless method by constructing multiple sleeves that join and fit into the I-Tube that can incorporate a UT and scanning tool. This will be dropped down the I-Tube and sleeves will bridge the gap between the upper and lower I-Tubes allowing the tool to reach that inaccessible section to carry out the scans.
- TRL 5-7 late development/Pilot
- TRL 5-7 late development/Pilot
- Swivel stack upgrade: Evaluation with OEM into bespoke cutting-edge bearing replacement using segmented bearings to negate the need to de-stack the swivel. Unique/novel approach never previously undertaken by vendor.
- TRL 1-4 early development (NEW)
Reported this year are adoption of non-intrusive inspection technologies including for hard-to-reach inspection of cargo tanks, use of remote UT and sensor arrays, deployment of predictive analytics to improve production efficiency, and digitalisation of maintenance execution with 3D tablets and visualisations. New this year are caisson cleaning and inspection tool, rigging loft management software and an activity integration software package. Emerging technology new for 2025 add on gate valve for alternative isolation.
- Activity integration software: A tool for site execution efficiency which improves the way work is added to activity schedules and how work execution is managed. It combines data from the core systems such as SAP and Primavera to provide users with an integrated view of what's needed to execute and performance manage work at site.
- TRL 9 commercially available (NEW)
- Caisson cleaning and inspection tool: Externally deployed, also has potential for conductor inspections to help justify removal strategy.
- TRL 9 commercially available (NEW)
- Rigging loft management system: Software management system designed to track, monitor and assist with control and inspection of all lifting equipment.
- TRL 9 commercially available (NEW)
- Digitalisation of maintenance execution: Use of tablets and 3D visualisation to speed up maintenance execution and reduce POB.
- TRL 9 proven technologies (NEW)
- Remote UT and sensor array: Reduced/removed requirement for Corrosion Coupon removal every six months, circa £40K per year saving. Removed requirement for break containment permits.
- TRL 8 early commercialisation (NEW)
- Alternative isolation methodologies - Use of add on gate valve technology using FEA for large pipework/pipelines. Use of pipe freezes in large applications. Use of specialist sealants/breakers.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot (NEW)
- AI LOFEO modelling - Utilise AI modelling for LOFEO safety conversations.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot
- Neutron backscatter inspection for CUI - We sought to develop a screening method to identify areas of insulated pipework most susceptible to CUI, i.e., those with presence of water in lagging. Neutron backscatter tool deployed during 2018. This includes review of value associated with neutron backscatter tool.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot
Operators' technology plans for 2025 continue to show operator focus on three phase virtual metering and autonomous methane measurement using fixed FLIR cameras. New this year are more sophisticated methods of emissions monitoring including use of AI assisted sensors providing improved detection methods and enhanced flare efficiency measurement.
- Emissions analysers: Mounted on unmanned remote operated vehicles combined with artificial intelligence, satellite communication and low-cost electronics, this technology offers a new generation of smaller, more efficient methods for methane emissions measurement on operators’ sites.
- TRL 9 commercially available (NEW)
- Predictive emission monitoring and streamlined reporting: Improves accuracy of emissions reporting from combustion plant and flare.
- TRL 9 commercially available
Technology Example:
ABB PEMS to improve efficiency and streamline emissions reporting. ABB offer the PEMS solution.
- NIR spectral analysis offshore: Lab studies and field trials to establish the potential to utilise NIR spectral analysis characterisation of production stream crudes for hydrocarbon characterisation, stream allocation and cell stock management.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Oil metering upgrade: Upgrade of three operators' assets' oil metering to 32-path M&T DFX ultrasonic flow meters to improve accuracy.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Methane emission surveys: Use of remote systems, e.g., fixed wing or drones to collect data on unburnt hydrocarbons/methane and fugitives.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- TRL 9 commercially available
- AI for emissions reduction: A digital solution that helps carbon intensive companies overcome these challenges, decarbonise their operations and reduce emissions, energy and fuel costs.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Flare combustion efficiency modelling: Cloud based solution which calculates flare combustion efficiency using existing data (flare flow rates, gas composition, weather data).
- TRL 8 early commercialisation (NEW)
- Autonomous methane measurement: Measurement of methane emissions from unburnt fuel gas, unburnt flare gas, venting and fugitives. Use of ATEX-rated autonomous measurement device to detect and quantify baseline methane emissions and abnormal events using TDLAS measurement technique.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot
| Technology Example: | |
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FLIR Camera The FLIR G300 an optical gas imaging (OGI) camera visualises gas, so you can monitor installations in remote or hazardous areas for gas leaks, hydrocarbon or volatile organic compound (VOC) leaks. Cameras are widely used in industrial settings, such as offshore platforms. |
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There is growing adoption of low-carbon power technologies including waste heat recovery, wave energy generation, lean direct injection for gas turbines, fuel cell power generation, solar power systems, battery storage, and capacitive transfer cable systems. New this year are an aeroderivative gas turbine for improved thermal efficiency, a combined cycle gas turbine to add steam raising for combined heat and power, alternative liquid fuels, intelligent plant management software, and use of smaller/more efficient power generators during annual shutdowns.
- Power generation efficiency enhancement: To increase aeroderivative gas turbine for power generation to 38% thermal efficiency rather than current 15-19%.
- TRL 9 commercially available (NEW)
- Plant data management: Connects plant data to specialist cloud software to enable automatic scripting in the IT environment for purposes of logging, monitoring and alert generation.
- TRL 9 commercially available (NEW)
- Helix wind turbine: Adding a wind turbine to a hybrid power system to reduce the running hour of the back-up diesel generator.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Hybrid power system: A low-maintenance solution in the form of solar panels, providing power to the platform whilst charging batteries. Two small lean-burn diesel-engine driven generators will provide energy in case the renewable system fails.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Platform electrification (power supply): Development of grid tie-in, conversion of AC to HVDC for transmission in a subsea HVDC cable to an offshore substation.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Hydrogen fuel cell generator: Power is generated from a process of splitting pressurised hydrogen into positive ions and electrons. Flow of electrons is used as power.
- TRL 8 early commercialisation
Technology Example:
The R&D carried out by the EODev and Toyota teams has enabled the REXH2 to be perfectly adapted to the extreme conditions of the marine environment, reaching power levels of 70 kW per unit, up to megawatts when stacked.
Technology example link
- Wave energy convertor: Innovative system for generating electricity from ocean waves.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Combined cycle gas turbine: Modification of existing gas turbine to add steam raising to combined heat and power output.
- TRL 8 early commercialisation (NEW)
- Electrification of asset via floating wind solution: Partial/full electrification of asset with a floating wind power source.
- TRL 8 early commercialisation
- Capacitive transfer system: New capacitive cable system design with aims to reduce cable power losses by 10% allowing for smaller cables with lower losses.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot
- WHR to power: Currently all the waste heat from the simple cycle GTs that goes to the atmosphere could potentially be used to generate electrical power. The challenge do this economically on a brownfield asset. Vendor hopes that this may be a compact engine to economically deploy offshore.
- TRL 5-7 late development/pilot
Operators report novel personnel access systems such as dedicated walk to work vessels and small-scale renewable power packages, 3D mapping of unmanned facilities to reduce the need for offshore trips and remote leak detection technologies. Emerging are asset automations and NUI conversions. No new technologies reported this year.
- Leak detection and performance testing of main export riser valve despite lack of good proven isolations on a number of other valves locally making it difficult to find which valve is actual passing. Reduces the requirement for expensive high-risk break of containment.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Hydrocarbon leak detection camera: Surveys have been complete to capture fugitive emissions offshore, capturing early failure or confirming no leaks are present.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Renewable power package: Installation of renewable power package allowing for emissions reduction and less maintenance/intervention.
- TRL 9 commercially available
- Walk-to-work heave compensated platform: Use of walk-to-work technology utilising a heave compensated platform sited on the back of a surface vessel to provide an alternative means of accessing the platform or SPM.
- TRL 9 commercially available
Technology Example:
The Ampelmann system combined with this vessel is an alternative solution to support installation, maintenance, upgrading and life extension for offshore wind and oil and gas platforms and (aging) production facilities.
- Asset automations and NUI conversions: Asset simplification and remote control from onshore terminal.
- TRL 1-4 early development
