Decarbonisation: the players are committed!

In his editorial of last July, Gaël Bodénès underlined the paradox of the present situation, marked both by uncertainties about the evolution of the energy market and by a clear desire, on the part of the main players in our industry, to transform themselves in response to the energy transition.

In our traditional business of services to the Upstream oil sector, with Brent stabilizing above $80/bbl for several months, the recovery of offshore services activities is a reality, making it possible to envisage a new cycle of investment by oil companies, in the medium term.

In this context and in order to maintain excellence in our service to clients and support them in their transition, BOURBON has embarked on a process of investment in its operational fleet, renewal of its fleet of "Surfers" and optimization of its vessels’ lifecycles – so that we meet our commitment to reducing our own environmental impact.

In the face of this significant effort, and in a market where daily rates have not yet returned to sustainable levels, BOURBON, like all companies in the sector, is experiencing inflationary pressure and supply chain tensions, the effects of which are already noticeable in our operating costs, as well as in our asset maintenance program.

To meet these challenges, we must, more than ever, build partnerships with our clients based on dialogue, mutual trust and a fair sharing of efforts.

With this in mind, we have redefined the values – of ambition, high standards and team spirit – that underpin our day-to-day actions. We invite you to discover them in this issue.

In addition, in the renewable energy segment, with the expertise acquired over the last 10 years in the installation of floating wind turbine prototypes, Bourbon has announced the creation of its new division "Bourbon Wind," dedicated to offshore wind energy. You can read about it in the interview with Patrick Belenfant, in this issue.

This new division illustrates the Group's desire to contribute to the growth of floating wind energy by providing clients with optimal support, in the ambitious challenge of the medium-term industrialization phase that is taking shape both in Europe and around the world.

More than ever, BOURBON intends to become the reference partner for its offshore-energy clients.

Today, it is well known that reducing carbon emissions is a major challenge for the industry in general and for the Oil & Gas sector in particular. Five oil and shipping companies have just published a white paper to raise awareness throughout the sector, as part of the Offshore Support Vessel Decarbonisation Forum. David Flajolet, Marine Specialist at TotalEnergies, one of the members of this forum, gives us his expert view of these issues and explains the challenges. Interview.

PartnerSHIP: You are the instigator of a white paper on decarbonisation, along with five other players in the Oil&Gas industry. How did this publication come about?

David Flajolet: Northern Europe has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to reducing carbon emission and, in 2021, Maersk Supply asked TotalEnergies to join this working group, which includes Chevron, Equinor, Shell, ABS and TotalEnergies. We've been working on these issues for a long time and, while we're working with our peers on other issues, we were moving forward separately on emissions, each on our own particular subject. Equinor, for example, was far ahead on hybridization, Shell and Chevron were making progress on fuel monitoring, etc. The forum brought us together and allowed us to see how to consolidate and bring together our technical knowledge. We saw that we shared the same vision, which we hadn’t taken for granted. This has guaranteed us a good start. Having made this observation, we’ve already decided to widen the circle to other key players in our industry, including BOURBON. But I’ll come to this later.

PS: Why did you publish this white paper at this time? And for which target?

D.F.: Reducing carbon emissions is a very complex subject. All initiatives come up against major constraints and a high degree of maturity is required for certain technologies to produce convincing results. Our Marine team has been working on this for three years, gaining experience and above all building a vision. We know where we want to go. The time had come to share this vision with our colleagues. But if we, as charterers, have a vision, it’s the shipowners who will make it concrete, by transforming their vessels so as to allow more virtuous operations without this impacting service quality.

PS: With this white paper, are you addressing shipowners or the entire industry?

D.F.: I mention shipowners because we work with them on a daily basis but, in reality, we’re addressing our entire industry – the shipyards, because it is they who will build the ships of tomorrow, the regulatory bodies, etc. We want to give a strong signal and provide direction.

PS: We notice that from the very first lines, you emphasize your responsibility in accelerating this process, by setting the pace for the whole industry, as is already the case for safety. Was it important for you to insist on this responsibility?

D.F.: We are all responsible, both charterers and shipowners, but it is true that we’ve taken the lead, because historically I believe that we, charterers, were among the first to really become aware of the stakes and the transformations that were to come in this area. At the time, most shipowners were still unaware of the impact of the energy transition. As the fuel was paid for by their clients, shipowners didn’t really invest resources in carbon-emission reduction studies. The situation has since changed and we now see a real commitment on their part.

PS: Cooperation between charterers and shipowners is a key element in the decarbonization process. Can you tell us about the "how" of this collaboration?

D.F.: First of all, I’d like to say once again that this is a very complicated and dynamic subject and, even with the best will in the world, shipowners are often at a loss to determine the right direction to take. This is quite normal: “What type of investment should I make? Should I equip my vessels with batteries? Should I build new vessels?” “What solution should I adopt if successive charterers of the same shipowner want different technologies?” Especially since we are talking about very high investments. Today, we have to move towards onboard technologies, marine logistics for charterers or contractual incentives for shipowners. Without making a bad pun, we are all in the same boat. Our white paper is also aimed at guiding shipowners and giving them the confidence to develop their energy transition policy.

PS: According to you, biofuels are a credible way to accelerate decarbonisation. Where do we stand today and what are the main challenges?

D.F.: This is quite new for us and we have really accelerated on this subject this year. The major advantages compared to a conventional fuel are a reduction in emissions of around 20% without heavy investment. Discussions with engine manufacturers lead us to believe that biofuels represent a transitional solution. Available quantities are limited, for the moment, if we want to cover the entire marine fleet. However, this will enable us to build up knowledge about the use and storage of different types of fuel on the same vessel and pave the way for low-carbon fuels such as ammonia and methanol, which will probably be used on a massive scale within the next five to six years. TotalEnergies produces and distributes biofuel for offshore vessels. Our colleagues at TotalEnergies Marine Fuels are working with us on the project to use biofuel on BOURBON vessels chartered by TotalEnergies. Bourbon Marine & Logistics in Indonesia is providing us with its experience and technical expertise in this area. In the future, vessels will run on several types of fuel and we’re reviewing our entire supply chain to take this into account. We hope to be able to deploy a pilot in West Africa and Northern Europe within the next year.

PS: You are a Marine Specialist at TotalEnergies. What exactly is your role and how has your job changed in recent years, in relation to decarbonisation issues?

D.F.: We are a team of eight, in Paris. Our role is to provide Marine expertise to our affiliates, for day-to-day activities or on specific projects. We work on subjects as diverse as marine insurance, validation of marine operations, dynamic positioning, oil-terminal operations, personnel transport, and so on. We’ve also developed a CFR (Carbon Footprint Reduction) unit within our team and we’re capitalizing on and consolidating all our know-how in this area, to guide our subsidiaries in developing their initiatives. We’re also working with our partners, such as Bourbon Mobility, on the development of personnel transport, taking into account technological, operational and skills aspects, etc. The quest to reduce emissions is everywhere. It's a new way of working and thinking.

PS: In your opinion, in the coming years, what is the key decarbonization factor on which efforts must be focused, both for charterers and shipowners?

D.F.: There’s one key factor: people! Let's take the example of a vessel on which a hybridization system has been deployed. In one case it works and in the other not at all. Why? Because it’s the crew that will make the test work or not. Technology isn’t everything. Everyone has to become more skilled and we must develop this culture of reducing emissions at all levels. This cultural change is key. Technology without employee commitment will get us nowhere. We’re at the beginning. This is not an evolution but a revolution for our industry! We must get everyone on board, by training and motivating. To come back to your question, the priority is to give our shipowners favorable ground for deploying technical solutions in longer contracts and rewarding crews that show real commitment. This is very important to get things going. Shipowners must also develop their skills and, above all, their creativity. All initiatives should be encouraged, whether they come from a Vessel Manager in Marseille or a chief engineer on a vessel.

PS: If you consider this white paper to be a success, what might it lead to in the future?

D.F.: We’re going to invite shipowners to join us in this forum. Each member has selected two shipowners of his choice. The selection criterion is that they must already be committed to reducing emissions and be in this energy and climate “mindset.” BOURBON will thus be joining the forum this year. The objective now is to go into the details of each initiative and to be concrete. If this leads to highly technical solutions that are impossible to deploy, there’s no point. We absolutely insist on the long-term feasibility of projects. The ultimate goal is to give shipowners and the entire industry the keys to facilitate this transition.

After more than 10 years of installing the main prototypes of floating wind farms in Europe, BOURBON has created Bourbon Wind, its new division dedicated to offshore wind energy. Its objective is to support the Group's ambition to become a major player in the entire value chain. An interview with Patrick Belenfant, Managing Director of this new entity.

PartnerShip: In recent years BOURBON has positioned itself as a leader in offshore wind-turbine installations, with projects such as TetraSpar, Kincardine, Windfloat Atlantic. In this context, why create a specific division?

Patrick Belenfant: Bourbon Wind is the materialization of our intention to become a major player in the entire value chain in this sector, including pre-studies, transportation and installation services, field maintenance, float repair and personnel transportation. For me, this division does not mark a break from what has been accomplished previously but, on the contrary, represents a continuation! It is a confirmation of our commitment to contribute to the growth of the renewable-energy industry and, in particular, offshore-wind energy, both as a service provider and a prime contractor (EPCI contract), wherever projects are implemented, in Europe or, indeed, anywhere in the world.

PS: Bourbon Wind is entering an already highly competitive and growing market. What are its main assets?

P. B.: Since 2011, the Group has installed most of the floating wind turbine prototypes in the world (in Portugal, France, Scotland, Norway, etc.), including the first European pre-industrial floating wind farm (Windfloat Atlantic), two years ago, off the coast of Portugal. It is currently working on many calls for tender or pre-qualification files. The teams’ expertise is therefore widely recognized and we benefit from unique experience in offshore wind energy, in terms of both different types of floats and global knowledge of the entire value chain. This extends from design assistance for a “fluid” installation to the supply of anchoring systems, the installation, towing and laying of electrical cables and, soon, the manufacture of floating electrical hubs, inter-array cables, anchoring and mooring systems. We also rely on a solid network of partners.

PS: Do you have a particular expertise in certain floats?

P. B.: On this point, we are agnostic and will work with all float designers. Each type of float has its advantages and disadvantages, depending on factors such as weather conditions, depth of seabed, wave period, electrical production capacity and local construction capabilities.

PS: As offshore wind energy gradually enters the industrialization phase, how does Bourbon Wind plan to address this, particularly in terms of investments?

P. B.: Indeed, the development of the entire sector is accelerating and, based on our 10 years of experience, we are studying the next designs of turbines, anchors, floats and vessels, which will have to adapt accordingly. As far as we are concerned, at this stage, we believe that actual utilization rates and daily rates may not justify substantial investment and the "Swiss Army knife" vessel is not necessarily THE solution. Sea beds can be different, ranging from sand to hard clay or rock, resulting in a different type of anchoring and pre-tensioning of mooring lines. We will therefore invest in a combination of vessels, either as owners, partner or shipmanager, to address this market. We will also look at all types of partnership, such as the one we signed with IWS for SOV vessels, a few months ago.

PS: What do you see as the biggest challenges facing Bourbon Wind?

P. B.: In my opinion, supply chain and production-capacity issues must be the focus in the coming months. Turbine capacities may reach 15 to 20 MW in the future (compared to a maximum of 12 MW today), with ever larger and taller turbines, that will require more lifting capacity and new logistic sites, not to mention the production capacity of electrical cables, chains and fiber cables, which will also significantly increase. A target of 20 GW of floating wind power worldwide by 2030 means between 1,300 and 1,700 wind turbines and as many floats, around 7,000 anchor lines, 1,750 km of chain between 100 mm and 200 mm in diameter and around 4,200 km of fiber cable. The challenge also concerns our clients and their approach to the construction market, according to their financing model – and their desire to structure an industry with reliable and economically efficient marine partners. BOURBON has been able to build long-term relationships with its clients and has unique experience in the construction of series vessels and associated operations.

PS: One last question: Why launch Bourbon Wind today?

P. B.: We are in the throes of an energy transition, in an emergency situation, as I think we all agree, and offshore wind will play a very important role in this transition, without any doubt. We must therefore act without delay. This is also what makes the challenge exciting! It is also necessary to federate the synergies between BOURBON’s three activities. Bourbon Subsea Services needs AHTS vessels for anchoring and passenger vessels for construction. Bourbon Marine & Logistics can develop complementary services on SOVs (Support Offshore Vessel) for maintenance, by offering crane maintenance with our affiliate Hydrauserv, or survey and ROV services, at night, when the SOV is not working. In each of our activities, we have men and women ready to take up the challenge!

The fight against carbon emissions has entered a phase of strong acceleration. New technologies are being tested and older ones being updated. The goal is to achieve very significant results, in the short to medium term. François Sébilo, Managing Director of Mauric*, a naval architecture and engineering company, gives an overview of current studies, while clearly alerting us to the reality of operational constraints and the danger of rushing into action.

PartnerShip: Reducing carbon emissions has become one of the central concerns of the energy industry and shipowners, your clients. At what point did you sense this development among your contacts?

François Sébilo: The concern for performance and the optimization of vessel consumption is in MAURIC’s DNA. We work every day on the overall performance of the vessel, its consumption, its seaworthiness, etc., but this focus on drastically reducing consumption, with the objective of moving towards “zero emission” vessels, is relatively recent. I even think the industry is currently in the middle of a shift, which started 3 or 4 years ago. For me, it’s difficult to evaluate the range of this shift and its duration and to foresee the next steps. There is a real desire and need to reduce ship emissions by 30, 40 or 50 percent but there are also physical and operational realities that it would be counterproductive to ignore.

PartnerShip: What is the main challenge for a naval architecture and engineering company like yours?

F.S.: Finding the right compromises! Our role is to explain to our clients what is feasible and what is not – or what is not yet feasible. To give you one example, even if it is not an offshore one, we have been working for 9 months on the design of a zero-emission fishing-school ship for the Lycée Professionnel Maritime et Aquacole de Bastia, in France, using new technologies – compressed hydrogen, fuel cells, batteries and electric-propulsion motors. It will be a 19 m boat, certified by the French Maritime Affairs Department. Construction has begun and it will probably be the first zero-emission professional vessel of this size in France. The project allows us to confront all the issues of certification, safety and integration of this type of system but also shows the road that remains to be traveled to make these concepts compatible with professional fishing vessels. The vessel will have 8 hours autonomy, at about ten knots. This is perfect for a school ship, with day trips, but it is not sufficient for professional fishing. In addition, the zero-emission propulsion system takes a lot of space, which reduces the vessel’s fishing capacity. While the project will help us take a major step forward in knowing how to integrate these technologies in the maritime sector, it is only a first step.

PartnerShip: What do you think of the work carried out in recent years on autonomous vessels?

F.S.: This is something we know quite a lot about, since we build military-use USVs (Unmanned Surface Vehicles) for our parent company, EXAIL. These are units of 9 m to 12 m but this could change in the coming years. I should also mention the DriX, which is a 7 m USV. For some missions, this can be used instead of a supply ship of several hundred tons, meaning much lower consumption! Regulations on these vessels are evolving and there is now a framework within which we can operate – while there remains much to be done. This presents quick opportunities to reduce emissions associated with certain activities at sea.

PartnerShip: Which technologies do you think can be industrialized in the medium term?

F.S.: There are many different answers, depending on the type of vessel. We have to distinguish between fast ships, such as Surfers, and OSVs. On the supply side, there is the electrification and hybridization of ships. In this hybridization, we will find batteries, hydrogen, methanol, ammonia – a sort of energy mix that can be easily integrated onboard these “slow and bulky” vessels. We’re obviously working to integrate these technologies into our designs for cargo ships, ferries and tugs. However, as far as fast passenger vessels are concerned, in the medium term, I have little faith in hybridization – at least, not beyond 10% of the energy consumed by the vessel. One can imagine doing "zero emission" in stand-by, anchorage, port entry and exit phases, etc., but navigating at high speed with 20-to-50-meter vessels in zero emission mode for a significant length of time seems to me difficult to achieve, in the short term. I think we’ll be staying with conventional engines for some time to come. For these applications, e-fuels or bio-fuels are credible transitional alternatives.

PartnerShip: If you had to pick one promising technology?

F.S.: In fast ships, hydrofoil multihulls should reduce drag by 20 to 30 percent, which is considerable and already very ambitious. However, their development will have to be coupled with environmental detection capabilities, both on the surface and underwater, to avoid floating objects that represent a real danger for these appendages during navigation. Beyond that, I am puzzled by solutions that are supposed to reduce the consumption of fast ships by a factor of 3 or 4, in the short term. This remains in the realm of R&D. Periodically, concepts tested in the past resurface, with the aim of revolutionizing maritime passenger transport. I’m thinking for example of ekranoplans or surface effect ships. Experience shows that operational reality at sea and the reliability of these concepts are often not compatible with long-term operation. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t study new solutions and continue to move forward. On fast ships, we’re working on optimizing propulsion efficiency, which can lead to significant consumption reductions. However, this is a long-term project and the results, though real, are very gradual.

PartnerShip: So, you’re calling for more lucidity?

F.S.: We have to accept that this energy transition will take place in stages. If we insist on going from 100 percent fossil fuels to “zero emission” in just a few years, we’re heading for disaster. We have to set achievable goals, in 3 years, in 5 years, etc. We see that a lot of funding is going into extremely ambitious projects that claim to bring major technological breakthroughs and unhoped-for gains and which end up foundering on the reality of maritime operations. I think we need to focus our efforts on more realistic projects, for a step-by-step energy transition that is ambitious while being very real.
 

* Naval architecture and engineering company, based in Marseille and Nantes, with 75 years of experience and about thirty employees. Specialized in the design of all types of professional vessels, between 10 m and 150 m, notably for offshore.

In order to better meet the needs of its clients, who want to focus on their core business, BOURBON has developed an integrated logistics activity, through its affiliate Bourbon Logistics. Clients can thus outsource logistics operations and reduce their overall footprint.

Objective: to offer our clients, beyond the service around the Offshore Support Vessels (OSV), a complementary integrated services offer such as the logistics base, covering the global supply chain, from the supplier's plant or hub to the offshore unit, reflecting the highest HSE standards and supported by a unique digital tool.

We present this service in the video below.

The year 2022 has seen the implementation of a partnership between the teams of Bourbon Subsea Services (BSS) and those of Rana Diving, which has specialized, for some 50 years, in operations on oil fields requiring divers. At the end of this first successful year, Benoît Gondolo, Business Developer at BSS, gives an update on this joint service offering and on early feedback from clients. Interview:

PartnerSHIP: Why such a partnership?

Benoît Gondolo: Joining forces with a diving company well known in our sector, with a highly impressive track record, is a major asset in addressing this market. The great advantage is that we can combine Bourbon Subsea Services experience and operational excellence with the quality of a diving operator that no longer needs to prove its worth! We want to convince our clients that our solution is sustainable – and we’re succeeding. Since March, we’ve won a succession of contracts, notably in the West African zone, which is most satisfying. The collaboration between the BOURBON & Rana Diving teams is going very well and we have neither experienced any technical problems nor recorded any incidents. Furthermore, feedback from our clients, Trident Energy, Marathon Oil & Vaalco Gabon, is very positive and is already encouraging us to look to the future!

PS: The partnership is based, notably, on a particular vessel in the BOURBON fleet, the MPSV Bourbon Evolution 802

B.G.: Indeed, the versatility of our Bourbon Evolution 800 vessels has become clearly established in support for IMR operations. The Bourbon Evolution 802 obtained a modification of its class certificate, following the installation of the DP3 saturation diving system, and is now classified by Bureau Veritas as a Diving Portable Supply Vessel. The classification companies for both the diving system and the vessel came on board to confirm conformity to current international standards. The BE802 is now an IMR support vessel, authorized to perform saturation-diving support operations.

PS: Are you considering certifying a second BOURBON MPSV as a diving support vessel?

B.G.: This is under consideration, but it will have to be justified by economic realities and a different geographical positioning, saturation-diving being a niche market.

PS: Can you remind us the context of this type of diving?

B.G.: Some subsea work requires human presence. I am thinking, for example, of surface or subsea export hose change out, anode installation on offshore structures, subsea piping repair or change out, etc. However, conventional air diving is no longer effective beyond -50 m. Indeed, divers would spend very little time on their work site and would have excessively long decompression stops. Beyond -50 m, saturation diving is the only effective alternative. It was therefore necessary to install diver-dedicated living quarters on the deck, set to the same pressure of that of the depth at which the divers are operating. These depths can often exceed 100 m. The notation of the onboard installed system authorizes dives to a maximum depth of 300 m. However, most commercial dives go down to between -50 and -200 m. The system we use makes it possible to put two different pressures in this space, in case there have to be two teams working at different depths. These living quarters can accommodate nine divers, operating in teams of three, in alternating rotation, 24 hours a day. Diving is carried out using a bell, in which we lower the divers to the right depth. One diver stays in the bell, to supervise, while the other two work. The divers’ life resembles that of spacemen, in every way! They stay in this pressurized environment throughout the project, with an SAS system that allows them to leave their living space to go to the bell and descend to their deep-sea worksite. In addition to divers, there are supervisory teams that constantly monitor the divers’ operational safety. Between the project team and the BE802 crew members, there can be around a hundred personnel on board.

PS: Diving to such depths is dangerous business. What are the specific safety measures?

B.G.: Yes, safety is obviously at the heart of these operations and is a constant preoccupation. The classification of the BE802 as a dive support vessel is essentially based on issues related to safety, back-up equipment, interconnected alarm systems, etc. The DP3, as already mentioned, is a key safety element, ensuring optimal positioning while divers are working, but the ROVs we use, operated by our own staff (Bourbon Offshore DNT), also help ensure their safety. Finally, all these devices are reinforced by the presence of the Self Propelled Hyperbaric Lifeboat (SPHL), a hyperbaric rescue boat that can evacuate and rescue divers in the event of an incident while they are operating under hyperbaric conditions. For operations in HRA (High Risk Area for piracy) zones, following certain situations we have been faced with and subsequent consultation with our Group Security Officer, a dedicated security vessel is now required. Should there be an attack, contact with the divers must not be lost, for life-critical reasons, and since supervisory personnel may be unable to reach safety, the only solution is 24-hour protection.

PS: What is the challenge for BOURBON in the coming months?

B.G.: This partnership with Rana Diving is very promising and the contracts signed in 2022 encourage us to continue our efforts. Our ambition is to maintain momentum by capitalizing on the successes of recent months.
 

New services: the keys to success

By Stephan Midenet, CEO of Bourbon Subsea Services

Our ambition today is to leverage the current and confirmed market dynamic which offer solid growth perspectives. We will achieve this is by expanding our service offering. I am convinced that our people, our assets and our technologies are a great platform to develop new revenues streams and generate at least 25% of our revenues from new services in the next 3 years, coming in addition to our ambitions in the offshore wind energy.

The keys to success are: the structuring of our project development and execution capabilities, the building of reinforced relationships with our clients to better understand and anticipate their needs, the development of new capabilities, including through partnerships and a relentless focus on innovation and new technologies that I consider key to develop value added and differentiated services. This phase of growth and transformation promises to be exciting!

“Since BOURBON's values are an integral part of our identity, of what we are, the essential principles of our way of acting, deciding and conducting business in relation to everyone, we have decided to clarify and reformulate them.

Why such a decision? The BOURBON of 2022 is not the BOURBON of 2005. From being a challenger, the Group has become a key player. Above all, we are changing, in an environment and an industry the challenges of which have significantly evolved.

BOURBON intends to continue its transformation and position itself, over the long term, as a reference partner in the offshore energies. We are conveying this strong message to all our employees, throughout the world, as well as to our clients, suppliers and partners, today, in this PartnerShip.

This positioning is becoming a reality thank to the values that I invite you to discover in the video below.”