Expro launches remote clamp installation system in North Sea
Published by Elizabeth Corner,
Senior Editor
Oilfield Technology,
Expro has successfully completed the first full deployment of its Remote Clamp Installation System (RCIS), marking a significant step forward in improving offshore safety and efficiency.
Developed by Expro’s Frank’s Tubular Running Services (TRS), the RCIS offers a unique industry solution for smart well completions requiring real-time monitoring and control of downhole tools from the surface via control lines. This capability allows operators to optimise production, manage downhole safety devices essential to well integrity, and extend well life, thereby minimising costly interventions. The RCIS eliminates significant manual intervention traditionally needed to install control line clamps on tubing during completion operations. By fully automating this process, the Expro RCIS enhances the efficiency of completion installation and reduces risk by minimising personnel exposure on the rig floor.
The initial deployment of the RCIS was in the UK’s North Sea during the fourth quarter of 2024 as part of a test trial. The project was delivered in collaboration with BP, which also partially sponsored the development of the RCIS technology.
Building on that success, the RCIS was deployed again in the second quarter of 2025, by another operator in the North Sea, where Expro successfully ran a complete hands-free Upper Completion at up to 15 joints per hour with zero non-productive time (NPT) or damage to any of the control lines, increasing running efficiency by 25%. The control line clamps were installed remotely, reducing installation time by approximately two minutes, or 50% per clamp.
Jeremy Angelle, VP of Well Construction, said: “This is a breakthrough in clamp installation. By automating a previously manual and high-risk process, we’ve not only increased efficiency but also advanced safety in a meaningful way.
“The RCIS is designed to offer a practical solution for reducing exposure in hazardous zones, improving crew safety, and streamlining completion activities. As the industry continues to seek ways to minimise manual intervention and improve efficiency, the RCIS represents a scalable, forward-looking solution for offshore operations worldwide."
Mr Angelle added: “This is a new era of safer, smarter completions.”
Image: Remote Clamp Installation System (RCIS).
Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/offshore-and-subsea/29092025/expro-launches-remote-clamp-installation-system-in-north-sea/