SLB OneSubsea Wins Major Umbilical Contract for Indonesia Deepwater Hub

SLB's OneSubsea joint venture has been awarded a contract to deliver a 94.6-kilometre steel tube umbilical system for the Kutei North Hub development offshore East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The contract, from Eni North Ganal Limited, supports one of the region's most significant deepwater developments in water depths of up to 2,200 metres. With a total system weight of around 6,700 tonnes, the project ranks among the largest umbilical contracts awarded in the industry to date.

 

Details of the Contract

 

SLB has secured the contract through its OneSubsea joint venture. The award comes from Eni North Ganal Limited, a subsidiary of Searah Limited. Searah is itself a joint venture company between Eni and PETRONAS. The contract covers a steel tube umbilical system for the Kutei North Hub field development. This project is located offshore East Kalimantan in Indonesia.

The scope of the award reflects the scale of the underlying development. SLB OneSubsea will engineer, procure and manufacture 94.6 kilometres of umbilical. The system is designed for water depths of up to 2,200 metres. With a total weight of approximately 6,700 tonnes, it ranks among the largest such contracts in the industry. This positions the award as a significant milestone for the joint venture.

 

The Kutei North Hub Development

 

The umbilical supports a major deepwater project in Indonesian waters. The Kutei North Hub is described as one of the region's most significant deepwater developments. It is situated offshore East Kalimantan, an area of growing energy activity. The project's depth and scale place it among the more technically demanding developments in the region. This context underlines the importance of reliable subsea infrastructure.

Umbilical systems play a critical role in such deepwater projects. They connect surface facilities to subsea equipment, carrying power, control signals and fluids. In deep water, these systems must withstand considerable pressure and challenging conditions. The Kutei North Hub umbilical is central to the safe operation of the field's subsea infrastructure. Its delivery is therefore integral to the wider development's progress.

 

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Technical Specifications

 

The umbilical system is engineered to meet demanding technical requirements. It is designed to withstand a design pressure of 10,000 psi. This high pressure rating reflects the demands of deepwater operation at significant depths. The system's overall weight of around 6,700 tonnes indicates its substantial scale. These specifications place the project at the more challenging end of umbilical manufacturing.

One element of the project presents a particular manufacturing challenge. The scope includes a single continuous umbilical length of 30 kilometres. This individual length weighs approximately 2,100 tonnes on its own. Producing and storing such a length requires specialised large-scale carousel capacity. This requirement highlights the technical complexity involved in delivering the contract.

 

Advanced Manufacturing Approach

 

SLB OneSubsea will use an advanced manufacturing method to deliver the project. The approach combines its Oscilay and planetary production lines. This enables parallel manufacturing activities to take place simultaneously. Running production lines in parallel increases overall efficiency. It also significantly reduces delivery timelines compared with conventional single-line methods.

This manufacturing strategy is central to the project's execution. By accelerating production, the approach helps meet the demands of a large-scale contract. Faster delivery is increasingly valued by operators seeking to advance projects efficiently. The method allows the company to balance speed with the reliability required for deepwater work. This combination of efficiency and performance underpins the contract's execution plan.

 

Strategic Significance

 

The award reflects broader trends in how operators select subsea partners. Company leadership noted that operators seek partners who can help move projects forward with confidence. The contract is presented as demonstrating a combination of technical expertise and innovative manufacturing. This blend supports efficient project execution and accelerated delivery. It also maintains the reliability and performance required for demanding deepwater developments.

For SLB OneSubsea, the contract reinforces its position in the subsea market. Securing one of the largest umbilical contracts to date is a notable commercial achievement. It showcases the company's capacity to handle technically complex, large-scale projects. The award also strengthens its involvement in significant regional developments. This positions the joint venture as a key supplier for demanding deepwater infrastructure.