Maelstrom Pinless Fibre Optic Subsea Connector - Demo2000 pre-project

WiSub intends to seek pre-project funding support to write and define a Demo2000 project for maturing the development of WiSub's pinless subsea wet-mate connector fibre optic prototype into a version more market-ready, proving the technology in the field. The Kongsberg-based technology development division of international subsea technology leader FMC Technologies has indicated a strong desire to use such a product if it existed in the market. FMC has expressed interest in helping prove the concept under a Demo2000 project, helping to further the development of WiSub's current prototype towards a commercial product. The main result from the pre-project study will be WiSub's application for DEMO2000 funding of a development project with FMC. A pre-project will help WiSub create a project outline and facilitate dialogue with partner FMC regarding project costs, IPR rights to project outcome and other project metrics. FMC has described their functionality requirement of the new connector to be developed, and has enquired if WiSub would be interested in developing a product with the desired functionality. The project will develop a market-ready pinless fiber optic subsea wet-mate connector and prove it in test on FMC technology in the field. Project partners will base the new development on output from WiSub PETROMAKS2 project 225926: "Microwave communication for high performance wet-mate subsea connectors", a 3-year R&D project that ran from 2013 to 2015. This R&D project concluded in a prototype 100Mbps full duplex data transfer electronics module that may now be included as a key component in a market-ready solution for test on FMC subsea equipment. The Demo2000 project will fund the iteration of the fibre-optic design, subsea packaging and integration with WiSub?s separate power transfer electronics. The results are intended to deliver an advanced and innovative product that can meet subsea production and distribution system requirements and reduce costs.