IK-SUBSEA: Deep-Sea Fixers Keeping Energy Flowing

Deep below the surface, hidden far under the waves, there is increasing activity on the world’s sea floors as cables and pipelines connect infrastructure like never before. But this modern linkage creates fresh challenges. Monitoring, reviewing, and repairing subsea equipment is tough. Pressure, temperature, darkness, movement, technology restrictions – all contribute to an environment that requires innovation unlike anywhere else.

In Norwegian waters, the world’s best practices have been developed for oil and gas production and transportation, and at the end of 2024, 94 fields were in production. By the start of 2025, two of the larger operators alone had pipeline capacity of 74.7 million standard cubic metres per day. At the end of 2023, the major Statpipe system was given the go-ahead for a full extension, keeping it alive until 2050. The industry is reliant on effective and stable pipeline connections, and that is why Adrian Gamman, VP at IK Subsea is excited about the future.

An industry leader in repair and maintenance of pipeline and production systems, the company is part of the wider IK Group, a Stavanger-headquartered engineering organisation.

“We work in the repair and problem-solving market for the subsea industry. We have typically not been big with products, but we have a lot of good engineers that are very good at problem solving and they solve some of the most difficult issues subsea,” Gamman opens. 

“Solving problems subsea can be like working on Mars,” he adds. “You have to plan far ahead, and you are sometimes working 2000m underwater and you cannot put a human down – everything is operated by ROVs. The types of solutions we are developing are really complicated but really exciting.”

IMPOSSIBLE: SOLVED

In 2022, IK Subsea completed a challenging and complex project off the East Coast of India, in the Bay of Bengal, where a pipeline repair system (PRS) was required for pipelines from 16” to 24” at depths between 400m and 2300m, with gas operation and pressure ratings up 433bar. 2000m from the splash zone, the project was even more challenging thanks to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions at the time. A whole new design of plugs, clamps, and caps was developed, all to international standards and fully tested in-house, eventually solving the problem for the client. 

In 2023, a global energy major was in need of an Emergency Pipeline Repair System (EPRS) in Qatar for a high pressure sour service 30” subsea gas pipeline at 135bar. Additional challenges included the need to utilise PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene) seals rather than elastomer seals because of the risk of hydrogen-induced stress cracking (HISC). IK Subsea handled design, tested, and delivered a new EPRS with bespoke PTFE sealing mechanisms and many other innovative solutions, all on time and on budget.

These projects are highly appealing for Gamman, and he says that the company thrives with the most difficult challenges.

“Our solutions, and ability to find the right solutions, is what separates us. Sometimes we have clients who bring to us problems that they think are impossible. We make it our mission to solve these problems. Where they think they need to pull up an entire Christmas Tree, we can solve the issue in situ, saving millions of dollars while extending lifetime. We can fix a caisson in the splash zone which is very expensive to change out, or fix a pipeline that might otherwise need a new pipe. It’s saving money for the client and also saving CO₂ emissions by not need to produce new steel.”

The result of a ‘challenge accepted’ mantra is a reputation for pioneering spirit and unrivalled innovation, and that reputation drives ongoing growth. “It has been tremendous,” says Gamman, highlighting multimillion Krone revenue in 2020/21 increasing by 115% in 2022 and then 23% in 2023 before a record year in 2024 where revenue grew by 97%. “It has been a very good journey.”

QUALITY IS EVERYTHING

IK Subsea calls on an extensive history in the IK Group which has more than three decades in engineering for pipelines. Internationally certified around quality, a proven safety record, a zero harm for people and environment commitment, and a dedication to high ethical standards are all elements of a culture that is geared towards universal excellence across all projects. To help achieve the highest standards, IK Subsea works with top suppliers from around the world to fulfil needs across its supply chain.

“Supply chain is extremely important for us,” asserts Gamman. “We don’t have our own factories and we rely on our supply chain for manufacturing, raw materials, and everything. In house, we handle engineering, procurement, assembly, and testing. Everything is quality checked in our workshop.

“We utilise the whole European market for our supply chain; we buy from Norway, the UK, Germany, Poland – we try to go out and check where we can the best quality, price, and delivery time. We are very open to all suppliers, and we appreciate those that can deliver on time because we do a lot of fast-track work. If there is a leakage, it is urgent.”

Partners must also be able to work to the international scope of IK Subsea which has a presence in Europe, the Middle East, Brazil, Canada, Australia and across Africa and Asia with 85% of revenue coming from international business. At the same time, the company is also pushing the industry for efficiency improvements in terms of environment.

“We have a big team working across the supply chain and we are also looking at opportunities to reduce CO₂ emissions through our supply chain. Our procurement team did a great job by approaching steel manufacturers and requesting greener steel solutions. We also looked at how much waste material was being generated from our production. We realised that sometimes there was 75% waste and so we changed how we worked, reducing that figure to just 20%. We have a strong process that involves looking for various ISO certifications, and it is all handled by our procurement team,” says Gamman, who has been in the industry for more than a decade, holding an industrial economics degree which is useful in both the technical and commercial aspects of his role.

In February, IK Subsea announced the launch of Angel, a multipurpose subsea lifting vessel to assist with flexible risers, umbilicals, flowlines, cables, and rigid pipes. Whether used for new installations or decommissioning, Angel is a perfect solution for subsea lifting tasks and can lift one to 150 tons, with 360° circumferential load transfer, all from an ROV.

“Our customers need robust, engineered solutions that minimise installation and retrieval time. Whether installing, repairing, or removing subsea infrastructure, safety and efficiency remain top priorities,” Gamman said.

NORCLAMP

IK Subsea’s understanding of customer requirements and its willingness to take on a challenge was put to the test in 2024 when the company helped to launch a new subsidiary, Norclamp.

“It focuses on what we previously lacked, which is product – mainly pipeline repair clamps,” explains Gamman. “We have some really great new technology coming out in that business. Infinity Clamp is a great product that can interconnect, meaning that if you have wall thickness reduction – which often grows – you can connect two clamps together, creating a continuous seal over the length of the area with reduced thickness. A traditional clamp would still leave a small gap between two clamps, creating a potential leakage path, or you might be forced to remove the clamp altogether and install a longer one.”

The clamps are standardised but come with a wide choice of fitting to suit various applications. Designed to withstand the harshest environments, there have been more than 250 clamps delivered worldwide. 

“For damaged areas where there is a long section that requires attention, the Infinity Clamp is very useful. We have seen, compared to clamps we have produced before, that it offers a 27% reduction in CO₂ emissions, not only because of the clamp itself but because of the method we use to produce.

“It is a brand-new company, just starting out, but it is very exciting to get that product line up and running from Norclamp,” says Gamman.

For Norclamp, and IK Subsea, this investment comes at a perfect time, with the global pipeline maintenance services market size reaching $25.7 billion in 2024, with 4.4% CAGR through until 2033. As more pipeline ages, and standards around infrastructure from a safety and environmental perspective are increased, the company’s key clients are busier than ever on the seabed.

“We also work on decommissioning, regular pipeline repair, and splash zone repair. We extend lifetime for ageing assets all over the world,” confirms Gamman.

Thankfully, the industry knows that IK Subsea is a problem solver. Now, with Norclamp, some vertical integration is possible, and the service level can be enhanced to a whole new standard. For such a critical sector, this is a strong development that will save money, reduce emissions, and protect the environment now and in the future.