NOV Subsea Production Systems in Kalundborg designs and manufactures flexible pipes for the offshore oil, gas, chemical and water industries. The collaboration between NOV and ODIN Engineering in Slagelse goes back more than 20 years. Through close collaboration, specific production needs at NOV have been translated into precise and reliable special-purpose machines.
NOV is a global supplier of technology, equipment and services to the energy industry. The company develops advanced systems and components for offshore oil and gas production – including flexible pipes, which are primarily used in deepwater operations to transport oil and gas from seabed wells to production units at the surface.
Some of these pipes are produced at NOV’s facility in Kalundborg. Here, strict requirements are placed on quality, precision and documentation, as the flexible pipes are designed to operate under some of the world’s most demanding conditions – on the seabed.
“Our collaboration goes back around 20 years. ODIN is an engineering and manufacturing company that can develop, design, build and commission machines. Together, we have developed and produced unique machines that solve the specific tasks we face in production. That combination is valuable to us,” says Stefan Skov, Principal Project Manager at NOV.
An external engineering collaborator
At NOV, there is a continuous focus on developing and optimising production. Collaboration with external specialists plays an important role. According to Stefan Skov, ODIN Engineering’s key strength is its ability to turn ideas and needs into concrete solutions.
“What ODIN particularly contributes is their expertise in development, design, assembly and construction. They help define our needs and translate our ideas into specifications, set up and test solutions together with us, and ultimately deliver a machine that works in practice,” he says.
The collaboration is characterised by close dialogue, where ODIN ensures that relevant NOV employees are involved and their input is taken into account, allowing solutions to be developed jointly.
Collaboration and challenges
ODIN Engineering has delivered special-purpose machines to NOV on several occasions. One example is the development of a CPC (Carcass Pitch Controller). Input from NOV’s production was combined with development work at ODIN and supplemented with test setups and multiple iterations at ODIN until the right solution and the right concept were found.
“It’s part of ODIN’s DNA to develop machines that do not yet exist, where the solution is not always obvious. We often do this in very close collaboration with the customer and their team. They have the product knowledge, and we have the tools and experience to build a machine that delivers,” says Mads S. Rasmussen, CEO at ODIN, and adds:
“We value customers like NOV, who work with us over the long term. Close collaboration is essential when developing solutions that can be implemented and operate reliably in production.”
Quality assurance of flexible pipe liners
The first CPC fully met its purpose in NOV’s production line, which is also why a modified version was later delivered for the same line.
“Requirements for quality and documentation in offshore oil and gas equipment are increasing. With the development of our CPC at ODIN Engineering, we now have auxiliary machines that solve an important task in our production line,” says Stefan Skov.
A versatile engineering specialist close to production
For NOV, the proximity to ODIN Engineering is an advantage, as is ODIN’s ability to handle concept development, testing and machine building.
“They have both the engineers and the facilities to test ideas, design and build the special-purpose machines. This allows us to quickly assess whether a solution works. It gives us confidence that the solution is correctly specified and that we get what we need. And within 45 minutes, we can be at ODIN to follow the production phases or observe testing,” explains Stefan Skov.
Demand for flexible pipes for offshore production is expected to grow in the coming years, and NOV continues to develop and expand its production. In this context, collaboration with experienced machine developers and manufacturers plays an important role.
“There is a high level of activity in the industry, and having skilled partners nearby is important. That is part of what ODIN contributes,” says Stefan Skov, who sees this as a long-term collaboration based on professional expertise, dialogue, and trust.