Saipem and Siemens have signed a Joint Development Agreement aimed at qualifying and promoting an open standard Subsea Control Systems for Saipem’s Subsea Bus architecture based on Siemens Subsea DigiGrid.

Siemens, a global provider of electrification and digitalisation, will, through its Subsea entity, support Saipem in realising the Saipem Subsea Bus architecture, by adapting and further developing the Siemens Subsea DigiGrid digitalisation, control and communication portfolio into a customised subsea control system. This system is one of the key enabling elements of Saipem’s technology platform for subsea processing systems, and it will be the first control system in the market promoting a modularised and standardised subsea system through Open Framework architecture.

The Saipem Subsea Bus is an extendable Open Framework platform of software and hardware components, including development and debugging tools, designed to ensure full support for and integration into all subsea applications.

The combined system will be capable of controlling an “All Electric” configuration, ideally suited for subsea fields with long distances between wells and host facility, thereby avoiding expensive hydraulic umbilical cables while leveraging distributed architectures with high performing control units to support the most demanding and innovative subsea technology applications, such as seawater treatment and separation.

This collaboration between Siemens and Saipem fits neatly into both companies’ strategic objectives of supporting the Oil & Gas industry with innovative solutions, allowing our customers to exploit new and challenging opportunities and achieve improved operating performances while reducing the environmental impact of their activities. Through this collaboration Siemens and Saipem will now be able to draw on the combined strengths and excellent know-how in both organisations.

Stefano Cao, Saipem CEO, comments, “This technology cooperation agreement with Siemens marks a further step for Saipem along the road to the development of Saipem’s Subsea Processing Systems. The Open Framework architecture will facilitate the unlocking of the supply chain and the achievement of cost savings through an innovative technological approach.”

Frode Tobiassen, Siemens Subsea CEO, gave the following statement: “In Saipem we have found a partner who is as passionate as Siemens about introducing Open Framework All-Electric systems in order to facilitate flexible digitalisation and automation solutions to the subsea industry.”

Tags: Saipem, Siemens