DNV has a strong position in the growing Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) market. The DNV market share is 31 per cent of the 97 classed units in operation.
The figures are published in Offshore Magazine, September 2004 and cover all FPSO units in operation. When vessels under construction or modification are included, DNV’s market share is 32 per cent.
The total market will be growing even more through the next few years. More than 100 additional FPSO units will be deployed. The trend for the future points also to fewer FPSO units owned by the oil companies themselves. Instead, shipping and production contractor companies are expected to be both owner and operator.
The FPSOs classed to DNV present a good cross-section of the total market, ranging from simple units like the Ruby Princess conversion owned by PetroVietnam and producing in South East Asia to the purpose-built Kizomba A producing off the shore of West Africa.
In addition, some of the non-classed vessels were designed and built to DNV class, such as Norne and Åsgard.
“DNV is working hard to capture its share of the future FPSOs. DNV experience, skills and service orientation rank high among our clients who benefit from our recognized FPSO technology. We want to offer safe and reliable solutions to the new projects too,” says Sergio Matos, business development manager of DNV, Houston.
Sevan Marine has chosen DNV to provide risk management services for their new and unique, circular FPSO platform under construction in China. This first vessel is scheduled for delivery in the summer of 2005.
As this is the first of hopefully many Sevan SSP (Sevan Stabilized Platform) vessels, DNV has an opportunity to influence the basis of the concept to include lessons learned from other FPSO projects.