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'25
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DeepOcean optimizes cable installation for the FlowHeat project
The FlowHeat system enables post-lay heating of subsea flowlines up to 30km at 3000m depth, cutting installation costs by 35% and carbon emissions by 30%.
www.deepoceangroup.com
Subsea tiebacks are vital to offshore oil and gas production, connecting remote subsea wells to processing facilities via pipelines. While they help reduce infrastructure costs and accelerate field development, they face significant challenges in cold, deepwater environments. Tie-back connections may face several flow-assurance challenges in subsea environment particularly with wax, hydrate risks and long pipeline distance, where heating may be required.
FlowHeat
The innovation, named FlowHeat, simplifies subsea flowline heating by enabling cables installation after the pipeline is laid. The technology also considers an alternative option of installing the cables in a reeled pipeline.
The FlowHeat system can be deployed after a pipeline has been laid and is suitable for distances of up to 30km with a potential to increase to 50km, in water depths of 3000 meters. This makes it an ideal solution for long subsea tiebacks. The technology also enables efficient heating installation using smaller remotely operating vehicles (ROV).
The system contributes to a 30% reduction in carbon emissions by optimising the use of pipelines, reducing installation days, and enabling the use of smaller vessels. Combined with cost reductions of up to 35% compared to traditional methods, FlowHeat presents a step-change in subsea flow assurance.
Initial small-scale and thermal trials have already proven successful. Tests have demonstrated reliable cable installation across obstacles and longer distances, as well as high electrical efficiency with low topside power demand. The technology can be deployed from all vessel types.
Illustration of a FlowHeat pipeline section. © 2025 Tenaris
Combining unique expertise
TotalEnergies, Equinor, Aker BP, DeepOcean, Tenaris and LS Cable & System have brought a distinct capability to the FlowHeat project, aligning to maximize commercial success from manufacturing to subsea installation:
- DeepOcean – Project owner and global subsea services provider, responsible for research, engineering, and project management. DeepOcean will optimize cable installation processes and deliver value through innovation and subsea integration.
- Tenaris – Producer of specialized coating solutions, contributing with its unmatched expertise and the development of innovative flow assurance solutions. Its durable end-to-end thermal insulation coating technologies extend pipeline lifetime and reduce operating and maintenance costs for flowlines of any length.
- LS Cable & System – Global leader in power and communications cables, supplying advanced products such as submarine, extra-high voltage, superconducting, and fiber optical cables. LSC&S will offer global reach and technical expertise essential for long-distance subsea heating.
- TotalEnergies, Equinor, Aker BP – Industry operators bringing critical domain knowledge, infrastructure, investment capacity, and R&D initiatives to validate and deploy FlowHeat in real-world applications.
Supported by Energy Research Grants
The project is led by DeepOcean as the project owner and is the formal recipient of funding from the Research Council of Norway. A key rationale for the award is to enable a pilot test, validating the system’s performance under real operating conditions.
The project is led by DeepOcean as the project owner and is the formal recipient of funding from the Research Council of Norway. A key rationale for the award is to enable a pilot test, validating the system’s performance under real operating conditions.
