Petronas Research joins FASTsubsea’s subsea pump development

FASTsubsea and Petronas’ subsidiary Petronas Research signed a Joint Industry Project contract to develop and test a low-cost, topside-less subsea multiphase pump.

FASTsubsea is a joint venture between Aker Solutions and FSubsea.

The new company combines Aker Solutions’ multiphase hydraulic technology with FSubsea’s Hydromag technology to create the 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, Aker Solutions explained.

The deal will see Petronas Research support the development and testing program while FASTsubsea is bringing the product to the market in 2022.

John Macleod, chief technology officer of Aker Solutions, said:

“Getting this participation from a large operator such as Petronas is a significant achievement, not least given current industry conditions.”

According to Alexander Fuglesang, managing director of FASTsubsea, the game-changing FASTsubsea technology allows operators to more rapidly extract additional hydrocarbons from existing offshore wells and installed infrastructure.

End users are drawn to the technology as increased recovery now can be done in a much more sustainable way, and at up to 50 percent lower capex investment than conventional subsea pumping systems, which is key in this market environment.

The participation from Petronas Research comes in addition to a NOK 11 million commitment from the Research Council of Norway and allows engineering activities to start immediately.

The project is still open for two further operators to join as JIP partners, which would provide the opportunity to influence and gain early access to the ground-breaking technology.