Kongsberg Discovery rolls out passive acoustic technology
Kongsberg Discovery has revealed it is targeting a global roll out of advanced passive acoustic technology, helping markets such as the oil & gas and naval sectors detect operational anomalies from the outset, safeguarding critical subsea assets and environments. The push comes with the full integration of Norway’s (Bergen) Naxys Technologies into the company, following its acquisition in January this year. Its established passive hydrophone technology provides continuous acoustic monitoring, detecting changes in flow conditions, structural integrity and potential leaks, as well as other anomalous subsea noises and vibrations.
Ears in the ocean
As Martin Wien Fjell, president of Kongsberg Discovery, explains, the solutions – which can be easily installed on underwater equipment or utilized as mobile arrays for marine and infrastructure inspection – have the potential to ‘transform awareness’ of what is happening below the waves, delivering compelling benefits for diverse user groups.
“Since its formation in 1999, Naxys has refined robust, high-performance technology that gives customers ‘ears in the ocean’, helping them identify and address issues with speed, safety and precision,” Fjell commented. “This has been a real success in Norway, enabling customers to minimize the impact of offshore structures on surrounding ecosystems, while supporting efficient production, reducing downtime and optimizing costs.
“These are benefits that, with this full integration, Kongsberg Discovery can now bring to the global marketplace. In today’s highly regulated operating arenas, where responsible environmental monitoring is essential, this passive technology is a gamechanger. It can detect leaks far ahead of conventional systems, save millions of dollars in unplanned downtime, deliver precise critical infrastructure inspections, and help protect fragile ocean ecosystems by monitoring radiated noise from human activity and detecting nearby marine mammals. Together with our existing solutions, we now believe we can offer the market a uniquely comprehensive level of subsea awareness.”
Fixed installations and scalable array configurations
The passive acoustic solutions developed by Naxys are designed with flexibility in mind. The sensors can be mounted on subsea structures as permanent leak detection systems, or integrated into equipment such as subsea pumps and compression units, where they continuously analyse performance and provide data to guide maintenance and operational decisions.
In addition to fixed installations, the technology can be deployed in scalable array configurations on ROVs or other mobile assets. This enables monitoring and inspection of offshore infrastructure, as well as applications in surveillance and the protection of critical sites such as harbours.
With international attention increasingly focused on reducing noise in marine environments, the same technology is also being applied to monitor and manage operational noise footprints, giving operators greater insight into their impact on surrounding ecosystems.
“The variety of applications speaks volumes of the market potential here,” Fjell concluded, “with a real opportunity to deliver added value for customers in the oceanographic and marine sectors, in addition to the energy industry. It’s not just the environments that our customers operate in that creates challenges, but also the evolving legislation and increasingly dynamic risk picture. This technology is tailored to meet those needs, helping users stay ahead, and in control, as they work to enhance safety, sustainability and standards in our oceans.”
Kongsberg Discovery plans to strengthen its footprint in Bergen, developing the site as a hub for regional oceanographic research as well as for customers in the marine and energy sectors. The company, which operates facilities worldwide, sees the location as a base to support both local and international projects.
