DEEPSEA TECHNOLOGIES: Deepsea Technologies Targets the Growing Subsea Opportunity

Deep beneath the surface of the world’s oceans, energy infrastructure is expanding, evolving and increasingly being reimagined. Subsea engineering sits at the centre of this shift, bridging traditional oil and gas developments with emerging opportunities in decommissioning, carbon storage and offshore renewables.

Industry analysts already see the trend accelerating. According to 2024 research, global subsea spending is expected to grow at around 10% annually until 2027, with investment exceeding $42 billion as deepwater developments and new technologies drive demand for advanced equipment and installation services.

It is a market that suits the strengths of Deepsea Technologies. The global subsea engineering specialist has built its reputation solving complex offshore challenges, delivering bespoke hardware and connection systems across the energy sector. With operations spanning multiple continents and an expanding footprint in the UK, the company is positioning itself to capture opportunities across both established and emerging offshore markets.

Managing Director Robert McWilliams knows the business from the inside out. His journey with the company began almost two decades ago, progressing through engineering, technical and commercial roles before taking the helm of the UK business.

Engineering skill and a technical grounding still shapes the company’s approach. Deepsea Technologies operates as a problem-solving engineering business, working closely with operators to deliver subsea hardware tailored to specific project needs.

GLOBAL ROOTS

Deepsea Technologies operates through an international network of engineering and manufacturing hubs, supporting offshore projects wherever they arise. The UK remains an important part of that structure, with facilities spread across multiple locations while working closely with operations in the United States, Brazil and India.

“We are a privately owned business, and we have facilities across the UK in Woking, Liverpool and Aberdeen,” explains McWilliams. “Our CEO sits in Houston, where we have similar capabilities to the UK but with greater inhouse manufacturing infrastructure. In Brazil, we have our largest capability in terms of manufacturing, and we are working on some large package deliveries. In India, we have our engineering and manufacturing base where we manufacture for the rest of our deep-sea businesses but also as a subcontractor. We have around 500 people globally.”

Although the business operates internationally, the different locations function as part of a closely connected organisation. At its core, the company designs and supplies subsea equipment used to connect and support offshore production systems.

“Our expertise is in the supply of subsea solutions for the energy sector. Historically, that has been oil and gas equipment through the design, delivery and installation of a range of products from tree connections back up to topside. We buy in smaller components but any hardware we make inhouse, whether that is structural, ROV, pressure containing. Our aim is to come up with bespoke solutions to suit project needs,” details McWilliams.

While oil and gas has historically dominated the company’s work, the changing offshore landscape is opening new opportunities.

UK PUSH

Few places illustrate that shift more clearly than the UK Continental Shelf. As mature fields approach the end of their operational lives, the region is experiencing a steady rise in decommissioning activity alongside continued investment in offshore energy infrastructure.

Industry data shows that decommissioning already accounts for a significant share of UK offshore spending, a figure expected to grow as more infrastructure reaches retirement age.

Deepsea Technologies has been strengthening its presence in Aberdeen to capture a share of that activity.

“We are keen, especially in the UK, to do more in decommissioning and renewables, and that is where Aberdeen is starting to focus. Typically, we are working on offshore installations, and that can be control distribution equipment, refurb, or decommissioning in renewables.”

The Aberdeen operation is relatively new but already expanding as projects gather pace across the North Sea.

“Aberdeen has only been operational for three years, but it is growing very quickly. We are doing decom for an operator in the North Sea where we are taking out some controls equipment which is coming back while we refurb and renew what we can,” says McWilliams.

For an engineering company known for designing hardware, entering the decommissioning market required a shift in thinking.

“We are quite a late entrant to the market having only recently started in the decom side. We were always struggling to see how we could play in that market because we are hardware designers and it doesn’t really make sense as decom is more about pulling hardware out of the ocean rather than putting hardware in,” he adds.

The opportunity ultimately lies in applying engineering expertise to improve how infrastructure is removed.

“Our strength comes from our engineering knowhow and our responsiveness. We have a lot of big equipment already out there on the seabed and we are coming up with quicker ways to recover by ROV.”

Reducing time offshore and simplifying recovery operations can significantly lower costs for operators.

“Historically, where the initial install might have been quite a lengthy process, we are now looking at ways to come up with standard or bespoke tools to try and make that decom operation quicker and cheaper,” McWilliams highlights.

TECHNOLOGY FOCUS

Alongside its growing role in decommissioning, the company continues to invest in subsea technology built on decades of connection system experience.

“The longer standing background behind the UK business is that we have a lot of expertise in diverless flowline connection systems. We have thousands of connecters in the water globally, but up until now we did not have a vertical connection system and we were tying in pipelines horizontally or at an angle on risers.”

As installation practices evolved, the absence of a vertical connection system became more noticeable. Globally, the most common method for connection installation is vertically. But rather than starting from scratch, the engineering team adapted existing connection technology.

“We took our existing clamp and feed-in technology and came up with a guidance system to guide pipelines and install vertically,” says McWilliams.

Extensive testing was required to ensure the system would perform reliably offshore.

“We have spent some time qualifying that technology with a full-scale replica test to put it through its paces and it has completed successfully. It has the quality stamp and is now ready for market,” he confirms.

Alongside the vertical system, the company has been developing smaller connection technology for specialised subsea lines – innovations which have required investments of both time and money.

“Another new string for our bow is a small-bore connector. It is an ROV, free flowing class 4 operated connector for 2-to-4-inch lines, typically used for methanol injector or gas lift.

“We are also excited about Taper-Lok®, our engineered flange system. It’s a compact flange used by divers on topside or downstream in scenarios when you want a leak free solution or something that can be installed with misalignment,” McWilliams details.

The system is particularly popular in the North Sea and has been developed entirely in the UK with support from a local supply chain.

“Project Pipeline Solutions is a delivery partner with the Taper-Lok® flange which is particularly popular in Norway. It is favoured because of its misalignment, compact size, and ability to simplify diver operations.”

Strong supplier relationships help ensure the equipment meets the demanding standards required offshore.

“They are a longstanding partner and one of our best performing suppliers. They share our mindset around problem solving and making sure we meet the ever-important deadlines that are associated with the equipment we deliver,” says McWilliams.

BRAZIL SCALE

While the UK business continues to grow, the company’s global operations remain central to its strategy. Brazil, one of the world’s most active deepwater regions, provides a clear example of that capability in action. The scale of the project marks an important milestone for the business.

“We are doing the full package and that includes manifolds, UTAs, PLETs, PLEMs, SFLs, Jumpers, bend stiffener connectors – almost everything from the tree back to the topside,” says McWilliams.

Historically the company has supplied individual components or control distribution packages. This project demonstrates something broader and showcases ability to deliver a full SPS package as a collaborative global organisation.

With fabrication complete, installation is now taking place offshore. “We have finished building and now our technology is going in under the sea. It’s very exciting for us as a UK business and us as a group,” McWilliams smiles.

For Deepsea Technologies, projects like this illustrate the direction of travel. With expanding engineering capability, a growing UK base and increasing demand for subsea solutions worldwide, the company is steadily strengthening its position within the global offshore supply chain.