Charge – Canada (North Atlantic)

Case Study: Maintaining Subsea Umbilical Integrity During FPSO Disconnection in the North Atlantic 

 

Client Overview:  

A Canadian oil and gas operator required a temporary, autonomous power solution to maintain insulation resistance (IR) protection for subsea umbilicals. The project was located in the harsh conditions of the North Atlantic, where a scheduled disconnection of the FPSO vessel posed a significant risk to existing subsea infrastructure. 

 

Challenge:  

The client faced a critical operational risk due to the planned FPSO disconnection, with no alternative power source for its subsea IR monitoring and protection system. Key challenges included: 

• Maintaining uninterrupted power supply during FPSO downtime
• Preventing degradation of subsea umbilicals, critical to field operability
• Rapid delivery and deployment of a fully compatible solution
• Avoiding costly offshore intervention and potential multi-billion-dollar consequences

 

Objectives: 

• Deliver autonomous, reliable power to the subsea IR protection system
• Mitigate risk of umbilical failure during FPSO disconnection
• Ensure fast-track deployment with minimal offshore activity
• Provide a drop-in solution compatible with existing infrastructure

 

Solution: 

Verlume partnered with J+S Subsea and Viper Innovations to deliver three modular subsea battery systems based on Verlume’s Charge technology. The solution ensured uninterrupted power to the subsea IR monitoring device throughout the FPSO’s absence. 

 

Key features included: 

• Deployment of 3 x Charge subsea battery systems
• Seamless integration with existing IR protection equipment
• Reliable, autonomous power delivery without reliance on the FPSO or umbilical 
• Modular design for quick installation and minimal offshore intervention

 

Deployments were completed in 2024 in the North Atlantic, Canada, under accelerated timelines to protect critical subsea infrastructure. 

 

Results: 

• Continuous IR protection maintained throughout FPSO downtime
• Umbilical degradation risk fully mitigated
• Rapid deployment avoided costly offshore operations
• Demonstrated the viability of battery-powered IR remediation in demanding offshore environments

 

Key Takeaways: 

• Seamless infrastructure compatibility enables rapid intervention
• Proven resilience and performance in extreme offshore environments

 

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