At this year’s OTD Energy in Stavanger, one message stood out across the exhibition halls and conference stages: the Norwegian oil and gas industry is focused on extending the life of existing fields and assets.
Both Equinor and Aker BP outlined clear ambitions to keep mature fields productive for longer. Their strategies revolve around smarter maintenance, retrofitting, and new digital tools that make life extension economically and operationally viable.
For many attending companies, including Pelagus, this shift reflects a wider industry reality: investment is increasingly being directed toward optimizing what already exists, rather than large-scale system replacements.
“Life extension” has become a central phrase in the Norwegian offshore sector, but it is not just about keeping equipment running. It is about adapting existing infrastructure to meet modern performance, efficiency, and sustainability standards.
Operators are looking for new ways to:
Sustainability was another major theme at OTD Energy. Several presentations focused on the increasing alignment between operators, EPCIs, and suppliers when it comes to emissions tracking and reporting.
What is clear is that this expectation will soon cascade through the entire value chain. Even smaller companies will be asked to show how their processes and materials contribute to lower-emission operations.
For suppliers and OEMs, this means the ability to document and verify how a component is produced will become just as important as the part itself.
Another interesting takeaway from the event was how retrofitting is being redefined. Instead of full system replacements, many operators are exploring component-level upgrades — modifying or reproducing specific parts to extend asset life and reduce costs.
This approach opens the door for more flexible manufacturing and qualification models, where the emphasis is on precision, traceability, and speed rather than volume. It’s a trend that could reshape how OEMs and suppliers collaborate to maintain offshore infrastructure.
The overall sentiment at OTD Energy 2025 was one of pragmatism and adaptation. As new field developments face tighter regulations and higher costs, companies are doubling down on asset optimization and smarter lifecycle management.
The Norwegian Continental Shelf is proving that extending asset life — when done safely, sustainably, and efficiently — is both economically sound and strategically essential.
For the Pelagus team, the event reinforced one clear message: innovation isn’t only about new technology — it is about applying it to preserve and enhance what already exists.
While much discussion centred on maintaining production on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, the energy transition – especially the growing role of offshore wind – was also a dominant theme in the drive for collaboration.
Most major players are now integrating the energy transition into their core business strategies, though the path forward remains complex due to fluctuating political priorities. End users are also increasingly focused on streamlining processes with suppliers to enhance performance, drive efficiency, and mitigate risks in this evolving landscape.
To truly unlock the potential in the industry, OEMs, suppliers, and end users must come together earlier in the value chain to co-create solutions that address both operational challenges and long-term sustainability goals.
The overarching message at OTD Energy is clear: collaboration is key to adopting new technologies, delivering mutually beneficial outcomes, and attracting continued investment in these areas.