By Oko Immanuel
Petroleum/Subsea Engineer | Founder, Offshore Pipeline Insight | Texas A&M Alumnus
March 10, 2026
Subsea7 continues to dominate the SURF (subsea umbilicals, risers, flowlines) space in early 2026, securing high-profile contracts across deepwater oil/gas, gas developments, and renewables. These awards highlight sustained demand for reliable subsea installation, EPCI expertise, and tieback solutions amid energy security and transition pushes. Here’s the latest roundup of their most recent projects:
1. Large Variation Order – Sakarya/Goktepe Extension, Black Sea, Offshore Türkiye (Awarded March 4, 2026)Subsea7 landed a large variation order from Turkish Petroleum Offshore Technology Center AS (TP-OTC) to extend the Sakarya Phase 3 development. This connects the newly discovered Goktepe field to the Phase 3 floating production unit.
- Scope: EPCI of ~20 km flexibles, 120 km umbilicals, a rigid production riser, and associated subsea equipment in 2,200 m water depths.
- Timeline: Offshore ops in 2027–2028.
- Impact: Boosts Türkiye’s domestic gas production via existing infrastructure—classic repurposing/tieback play with integrity challenges in ultra-deep Black Sea conditions.
David Bertin (SVP, Global Projects Centre – East) emphasized pride in supporting TP-OTC’s ambitions for increased output.
2. Substantial Contract – Eastern Mediterranean Subsea Installation, Chevron (Awarded February 9, 2026)Subsea7 secured a substantial contract (valued $150M–$300M range) from Chevron for subsea work in the Eastern Mediterranean.
- Scope: Transport and installation of ~17 km subsea flowlines and umbilicals.
- Timeline: Project management/engineering immediate (from Paris office); offshore ops Q1 2028.
- Impact: Reinforces long-term Chevron partnership (building on West Africa, Australia, US track record). Highlights ongoing investment in Med gas developments—key for flow assurance and pipeline integrity in regional geopolitics.
3. Sizeable Contract – Kaikias Waterflood, US Gulf of Mexico, Shell (Awarded January 29, 2026)Subsea7 won a sizeable contract from Shell for the Kaikias Waterflood project in the Mars-Ursa Basin (~210 km off Louisiana).
- Scope: Transport and installation of subsea umbilical, riser, and rigid flowline in up to 1,650 m water depths.
- Timeline: Engineering/project management immediate (Houston office); offshore ops 2027.
- Impact: Enhances recovery from a mature deepwater field—waterflood tiebacks demand robust HPHT-rated lines and fatigue-resistant designs. Craig Broussard (SVP, Gulf of Mexico) noted strengthened Shell collaboration for cost-effective, safe execution.
Other Notable 2026 Activity
- Offshore Germany (via Seaway7, January 29, 2026): Substantial contract for Gennaker offshore wind farm transport/install 63 monopiles and transition pieces (ops 2027). Shows Subsea7’s renewables pivot.
- Earlier momentum (late 2025 carryover into 2026 ops): Contracts with Aramco (Saudi infield/export pipelines), Shell (GOM tieback), LLOG (Buckskin South Expansion), ConocoPhillips (Norway PPF SURF), and others many with 2026–2028 installation phases.
Subsea7’s pipeline (pun intended) remains strong: Deepwater expertise, global reach (Houston, Paris, etc.), and balanced portfolio across oil/gas and emerging energies. For pipeline engineers: These projects underscore trends in ultra-deep umbilicals/risers, flexible/flowline installation challenges, corrosion/fatigue in tiebacks, and digital integrity monitoring needs.As leasing accelerates (e.g., Gulf BBG2 tomorrow!), expect more SURF awards. Subsea7 is well-positioned watch for implications on materials, installation vessels, and repurposing for CCS/H₂.
What stands out to you in these? Drop thoughts below or email oko@offshorepipelineinsight.com.
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Oko