Aker Solutions and FSubsea have agreed to create FASTSubsea to help operators increase oil recovery in a faster, simpler and more environmentally friendly way, the companies said on April 10.

Multiphase subsea pumping technology has the potential to increase oil recovery rates by more than 20%, but cost, space limitations and sometimes complex solutions mean multiphase pumps are installed in fewer than 30 of the world’s more than 1,500 offshore fields.

Aker Solutions said with FASTSubsea, this is about to change. The new company combines Aker Solutions’ high-performance multiphase hydraulic technology with FSubsea’s game-changing Hydromag technology to create the world’s first “topside-less” multiphase boosting system. 

The pump-module solution being developed by FASTSubsea can cut capex by half and enable subsea boosting at fields where there is no available topside space. Getting more out of existing wells reduces CO2-emissions per barrel.

“Creating FASTSubsea enables us to increase our speed to the market, reduce risk and reduce investment in multiphase test facilities,” Alexander Fuglesang, CEO of FSubsea, who will take on the role of managing director of FASTSubsea, said.

The agreement is subject to approval from the Norwegian competition authorities.

Offshore