French energy major Total Energies has become a partner in the unmanned surface vessel (USV) qualification program conducted by Norwegian offshore services player Reach Subsea. Earlier this year, Reach Subsea agreed with Equinor to conduct a technology qualification program. TotalEnergies, along with several other major energy companies, has now joined this program. The pilot project with Equinor, TotalEnergies, and others includes a variety of relevant surveys, ROV intervention, IMR, and monitoring-related work scopes which will demonstrate the full capacity of the Reach Remote USV spread. The so-called Reach Remote project is focused on Norway’s pioneering fleet of uncrewed 24-m USVs, featuring hull-mounted survey sensors and a work-class electric remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Earlier this month it was granted up to €14.3m ($15.5m) in funding from the EU Innovation Fund. Reach Subsea placed an order at Kongsberg Maritime for the construction of the first two in a series of unmanned USVs in 2022. The remotely-operated units, offering subsea inspection, survey, and intervention services, are scheduled for deployment in 2024 under the Norwegian flag. “For TotalEnergies, uncrewed surface vessels present opportunities to increase safety, reduce emissions and reduce cost when performing IMR operations. In support of the ambition of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, USVs are expected to form part of the suite of tools to support asset integrity across the subsea portfolio,” said Andy Gower, R&D subsea robotics lead at TotalEnergies. The pilot program will be executed directly after the delivery of the vessels. The scope of work is part of a full-scale operation and will be executed offshore in the North Sea and Norwegian Sea on production fields such as Troll, Gullfaks, Snorre, and Åsgard. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsFrance Norway