Case Study: Shell achieves low-carbon remote seabed data harvesting with Sonardyne and XOCEAN

Shell reduces offshore data harvest risk and carbon with Sonardyne’s 75-PMT USV solution

The customer, Shell, faced the challenge of harvesting acoustic data from seabed sensors at its Ormen Lange gas field. Without surface platforms, this task required costly and carbon-intensive crewed vessels, which also posed a risk to personnel. Working with vendor Sonardyne, Shell needed a lower-cost, lower-risk, and lower-carbon alternative data collection method to support its net-zero ambition.

Sonardyne implemented a solution using its HPT 3000 transceiver mounted on an uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) from XOCEAN. This allowed for remote, over-the-horizon data harvesting, eliminating personnel risk and significantly reducing carbon emissions. The project, which began in 2020, was the first of its kind in Norwegian waters and has since provided successful yearly data harvests. Sonardyne's solution proved to be a cost-effective and reliable method for Shell, enabling real-time data monitoring and collection without sending personnel offshore.

Shell