Equinor discovered a game-changing technology at ONS – and saved billions
A conversation at ONS 2024 led to the adoption of a new maintenance technology that has already delivered billions of kroner in savings for Equinor.
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Equinor discovered a game-changing technology at ONS – and saved billions
A conversation at ONS 2024 led to the adoption of a new maintenance technology that has already delivered billions of kroner in savings for Equinor.
For many companies, exhibiting at ONS is about visibility, networking and finding new customers. For Equinor and Dutch technology company Valvetight, ONS 2024 became the starting point for a strong business collaboration.
During ONS 2024 in Stavanger, Peder Solum Witzø, Task Leader for Next Generation Maintenance in Equinor's Research and Development division, was tipped off by a colleague to visit a supplier exhibiting in the Dutch Pavilion.
What he discovered was a vacuum-based maintenance technology that promised to solve a costly industry challenge.
"We met them and they presented the concept. It quickly became clear that this was both relevant and interesting for us," Witzø explains.
A solution to a costly problem
The technology developed by Valvetight allows maintenance work to be carried out while equipment remains in operation. By creating a vacuum seal, critical maintenance work can be performed without shutting down parts of a facility.
For offshore operators, avoiding shutdowns can translate directly into significant savings.
Just seven months after the first conversations at ONS, the technology was implemented on Equinor's Troll field. One operation alone is estimated to have saved approximately NOK 1.5 billion, according to Equinor, and the company describes this as a conservative estimate.
Since then, the technology has been used on five assignments within a single year, generating total savings estimated at around NOK 4 billion.
Where operators and suppliers create value together
The story demonstrates the value of bringing decision-makers, technology providers and industry experts together in one place.
For suppliers, ONS offers an opportunity to showcase solutions directly to the people responsible for operational performance, maintenance and technology development. For operators, it provides access to innovations that can improve safety, efficiency and profitability.
In this case, a meeting that might never have happened elsewhere led to the rapid adoption of a new technology with measurable financial impact.