SBM Offshore and Technip Energies have announced their collaboration through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a new joint venture entity named EkWiL. The venture aims to be a leading player in the floating offshore wind (FOW) market, offering a comprehensive range of solutions to clients.
EkWiL is set to merge the expert personnel, engineering prowess, and complementary technologies of both parent companies. This merger aims to create integrated floating solutions and spearhead delivery offerings for the FOW market, positioning the company uniquely for execution certainty and cost competitiveness in innovative projects.
The joint venture, shared equally between SBM Offshore and Technip Energies, will function as a cohesive unit. It aims to combine knowledge, innovation, and capacities to develop and commercially deploy two cutting-edge technologies: the Semi-submersible INO15 by T.EN™ and the Tension Leg Platform Float4Wind®. These technologies cover a wide spectrum of the FOW market.
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Bruno Chabas, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SBM Offshore, remarked on the venture’s objectives: “Our aim is to become a recognized leading contractor in developing floating offshore wind infrastructures. Collaboration is fundamental to position our ambitions sustainably while managing the pace of infrastructure development and the challenging economics of these pioneering systems. We are pleased to share our experience with the right partner, broadening the range of solutions and reinforcing our energy transition commitment.”
Echoing the sentiment, Arnaud Pieton, CEO of Technip Energies, highlighted the importance of collaboration: “Joining forces and collaborating are necessary to capture the potential of the nascent floating offshore wind market. By leveraging the synergies of complementary technologies and supply chain experience, EkWiL will increase predictability to meet market demand and deliver on our ambition to provide new energy solutions.”
The completion of this joint venture hinges on several conditions, including satisfactory due diligence, engagement with employee representative bodies for necessary consultations, and obtaining all requisite regulatory approvals.
SBM Offshore is an industry leader in the delivery of floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels and is an integral part of the advancement of oil development offshore Guyana. It has delivered three FPSOs to the Stabroek Block and will deliver two more over the next few years. Technip Energies is a spin-off of TechnipFMC, that forms operations and maintenance (O&M) services for energy-related assets. TechnipFMC has been actively involved in the Guyana petroleum industry for six years and established a Guyana Service Base in Rome, McDoom, on the East Bank of Demerara. This base consolidates the company’s activities related to Guyana’s petroleum operations, previously managed from Trinidad and Tobago.
