Leaner, meaner technology and common global practices are crucial for the future sustainability of the subsea industry, according to one north-east boss.
David Lamont, chief executive of Westhill-based Proserv, was speaking at the annual congress of the Oil Council in London.
He said: “Technical advances in subsea technology have typically been not only more complex and heavier, but expensive and less reliable too.
“The development of leaner and meaner technology which incorporates off-the-shelf components and lighter, simplified designs is essential for faster and more cost-effective delivery and crucially, to improve production, reservoir management and ultimate recovery; particularly given that the number of subsea startups is set to rise considerably over the next five years.
“There has been an increase in the number of niche companies developing new technologies, but there is no common set of industry standards. It is therefore fundamental that we start working together to establish a more consistent approach for much easier integration and industry standard interfaces.”