Page 19: of Offshore Engineer Magazine (Jan/Feb 2020)

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INTERVIEW Séverine Baudic, SBM

FLOATING PRODUCTION:

THE NEXT CHAPTER

The market for ? oating production, storage and of? oading units (FPSO) is heating up. Séverine Baudic, SBM Offshore’s Managing Director for Floating

Production Solutions, weighs in on the strategic initiatives and technological innovations helping the company to secure contracts for some of the world’s most complex deepwater projects. When it comes to reducing lead times and adding value, SBM’s standardized Fast4Ward offering has been key.

BY ERIC HAUN he FPSO market is back with nine FPSOs During this time, the company also went to work devel- awarded this year [as of mid-December oping what would become its Fast4Ward FPSO concept 2019], reaching levels that the industry had combining a newbuild, multipurpose hull with several “Tpreviously in the period 2010-2014,” Bau- standardized topsides modules to shorten lead times and dic said. “We expect similar numbers in the years ahead.” increase capacity limits.

But for SBM Offshore – and even the offshore indus- “Fast forward” to present day: optimism is returning to try in general – it’s been a long and winding road from the deepwater market, and with the dust now settled in the depths of the downturn to the much-improved market Brazil, SBM Offshore’s strategy and concept are paying off. situation that exists today. “In 2019, we began a new chapter. We closed the legacy “The period from 2014 to 2018 was testing for our issues, we regained access to Brazil and the FPSO market business,” Baudic said. “The 2014 oil price drop meant conditions are, overall, positive.” that many projects were canceled or delayed, with SBM

Offshore affected as much as its peers and other oil