Initiated by the drive for early production and cash flow at Ekofisk in 1971, Norway's first Subsea Production System was installed and operated for 4 years until the main platform was installed and producing. Since the early 70's barriers have been broken and records set in the field of subsea technology in Norway and world-wide. Long-term thinking and investment, research and dedication by professionals and researchers have given rise to today's fruits that we all enjoy to the fullest.However, as we all know so well, the only way to keep improving and further develop efficient and profitable subsea fields, research and development at all levels in key areas must continue. This paper presents a historic brief of subsea production systems and present three selected significant subsea research and development projects that have resulted in successful commercial products. Further, research and development boundary conditions are discussed with emphasis on signals and conditions given by local governments. Drivers for research and technology subsea are also presented, and finally a short discussion of future research and development challenges that will be required in the future to cost effective explore and develop the more difficult subsea located reservoirs world-wide.
Subsea production of oil and gas in an offshore environment is, and has always been, a challenge to the industry based on both harsh environment and remote location. Since the first subsea well was completed in Lake Erie in 1947 using land based equipment in shallow water, there has been a significant development in methods applied, concepts, and equipment used. Advances in technology in combination with gained experience have brought exploration and development of oil and gas into deeper water and increasingly more hostile environment.
