Evotec has developed Evotec CORE™ Remote – a solution that enables launch and recovery of ROVs to be performed from shore as a single, automated operation.

"We see a clear shift towards more remote and centralised offshore operations. With Evotec CORE™ Remote, we have taken an important step by consolidating complex operations into controlled sequences – and bringing this into real-world operation," says Håkon Voldsund, VP Sales & Marketing at Evotec.

Evotec CORE™ Remote is a solution for remote launch and recovery of ROVs (Remotely Operated Vehicles), now in operational use by DeepOcean from its Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Haugesund. Operations are carried out using the unmanned vessel USV Challenger, purpose-built for remote subsea operations.

DeepOcean is a global provider of subsea services within inspection, maintenance, repair (IMR) and installation, with operations across several key international markets.

Automated sequences

At the core of the solution is the consolidation of complex operations into a single controlled sequence.

"Now we press launch, and many functions that you would normally operate one by one are executed in sync," says Eivind Bøe, ROV Engineer at DeepOcean.

He explains how the operation still feels familiar, even though it is performed from shore rather than onboard a subsea vessel.

"It’s as if you are onboard – but you’re not".

A new operating model

At Evotec, the solution is described as more than simply relocating control – it is about restructuring the operation itself.

"When you standardise how operations are performed, you achieve a more predictable and consistent execution. At the same time, it enables better utilisation of both vessels and operator competence," says Kurt Erik Steinsåker Nesje, VP Automation at Evotec.

Reduced offshore manning – and increased operational safety

For DeepOcean, remote operations represent a different way of organising work.

"We deliver the same services from shore as offshore across large parts of our subsea inspection and light intervention offering," says Johanne Halvorsen Øveraas, Operations Director, DeepOcean Northern Europe.

When operators no longer need to be physically offshore, the need for rotation and mobilisation is reduced, while operations can be carried out with an even higher level of safety.

"The savings come from reducing the number of people who need to be offshore, away from their families for 14 days for an operation that may only take two days," says Roald Rykkje, Senior Project Engineer – Methods at DeepOcean.

Increased flexibility and improved resource utilisation

Remote operations also enable more flexible use of operator resources.

"When an unmanned subsea vessel is in transit, you can work on ROV operations for another vessel that is on site," says Rykkje.

Evotec highlights that this development will influence how operations are planned going forward.

"This is not just about technology, but about how the entire operating model is structured. We see remote operations increasingly becoming the starting point for how operations are designed and executed," says Håkon Voldsund.

Evotec CORE™ Remote therefore represents a new way of performing ROV operations – maintaining control, safety and efficiency, while enabling operations to be moved from offshore to onshore.

Read more about how DeepOcean is using Evotec CORE™ Remote and the unmanned vessel USV Challenger to perform ROV launch and recovery operations from shore.