The Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) has trialed an underwater robot which can prevent adversaries from sabotaging undersea cables and pipelines by disarming or removing threats, a statement posted on the UK government website on Monday said. A commercially available remotely operated vehicle (ROV) has been adapted by the Dstl and industry partners to deal with sabotage threats and clear legacy unexploded ordnance, the statement noted, adding that these present hazards to both vessels and divers deployed to deal with them. “Dstl has incorporated or developed a number of systems to enable the ROV to detect unexploded ordnance and remotely place explosive charges to enable safe neutralization,” the statement said. “The new technology and systems developed will work in partnership with other robots to scan the seabed for hazards and will be able to deal with them once one is spotted,” it added. The robot can be launched from a ship or a shoreline and is operated remotely, the statement highlighted, pointing out that it feeds video and sonar images back to the operators. “The robot is not normally destroyed, which means it can be used multiple times giving the public better value for money in addition to the economic benefits of partnering with industry,” the statement said, adding that this project “supports numerous specialist jobs in industry”. The statement also noted that the robot can operate at depths greater than divers can reach and pointed out that it can “work there safely for much longer”. According to the statement, trials have taken place at; Horsea Island in Portsmouth, Portland Harbour, South Wales, and Norway. Alford Technologies, Atlantas Marine, Sonardyne and ECS Special Projects are among the industry partners involved, the statement said. “This technology would be a valuable toolset for keeping our Armed Forces safe whilst providing the public with value

PTAS Aker Solutions Sdn. Bhd., a joint venture between Aker Solutions ASA and PTAS Sdn. Bhd., has secured a two-year deal extension with Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) for offshore maintenance and modification services. Aker Solutions said in a media release that the contract extension is a result of BSP exercising an option included in the current agreement. Aker Solutions said the deal is a significant one, meaning it is valued between NOK 1.5 billion ($149.2 million) and NOK 2.5 billion ($248.6 million). The work will be managed by PTAS Aker Solutions’ office in Kuala Belait, Brunei Darussalam. The scope of work covers maintenance and upgrades to sustain production levels across offshore assets in the South China Sea, with PTAS Aker Solutions serving as the main contractor, Aker Solutions said. “We look forward to leveraging an optimized delivery model and driving targeted improvement initiatives during this contract period. As the main contractor, we are committed to enhancing new ways of working and improving performance and efficiency while delivering cost reductions across the value chain”, Paal Eikeseth, Executive Vice President and head of Aker Solutions’ Life Cycle Business, said. Aker Solutions said it had obtained its initial ORMC contract with Brunei Shell Petroleum in 2012 and renewed the contract in 2020 under the name PTAS Aker Solutions. PTAS Aker Solutions merges local execution skills with the extensive international expertise of Aker Solutions. This contract will be recorded as an order intake in the Life Cycle segment during the second quarter of 2025, Aker Solutions said. To contact the author, email [email protected] What do you think? We’d love to hear from you, join the conversation on the Rigzone Energy Network. The Rigzone Energy Network is a new social experience created for you and all energy professionals to Speak Up about our industry, share

SAKURA internet Inc. has signed a deal with JERA Co. Inc. to explore the potential of establishing data centers (DCs) connected to JERA’s power infrastructure. To meet customer demand for both stable supply and decarbonization, JERA is creating a clean energy platform, aiming to deliver low-carbon and decarbonized electricity on a large scale. The agreement involves exploring the establishment of data centers on the grounds of existing thermal power stations owned by JERA, JERA said in a media release. Progress in this exploration will enable SAKURA internet to provide the digital infrastructure that utilizes clean energy from JERA. By promoting the integration of power and telecommunications (watt-bit collaboration), the companies aim to accelerate the development of DCs that are crucial for upgrading Japan’s industrial structure, thereby helping to address the country’s “digital deficit”, make efficient use of power infrastructure, contribute to decarbonization, and enhance Japan’s industrial competitiveness, JERA said. Potential sites include Tokyo Bay. A key aspect of their collaboration involves using JERA’s regasification terminals to provide cold energy, aiming to significantly reduce energy consumption at the DCs. Additionally, the partnership will explore various technologies to decarbonize that energy in the future. To contact the author, email [email protected] What do you think? We’d love to hear from you, join the conversation on the Rigzone Energy Network. The Rigzone Energy Network is a new social experience created for you and all energy professionals to Speak Up about our industry, share knowledge, connect with peers and industry insiders and engage in a professional community that will empower your career in energy. MORE FROM THIS AUTHOR

OPEC+’s oil-output hikes are part of a Saudi strategy that will see the kingdom embark on a long but shallow price war designed to recapture market share, Bank of America Corp.’s head of commodities research said.  The producer group, of which Saudi Arabia is the de-facto leader, announced a third output increase of more than 400,000 barrels a day last month, bigger than previously planned. The additions are reversing years of supply curbs that were aimed at keeping prices higher. “It’s not a price war that is going to be short and steep; rather it’s going to be a price war that is long and shallow,” BofA’s Francisco Blanch said in a Bloomberg Television interview. That reflects a desire to take market share from US shale, which is in relatively good health but faces higher costs of production, he said.  The kingdom is also working to regain market share from fellow OPEC+ members, according to Blanch.  “They’ve done this price support already by themselves for three-plus years,” which has allowed competitors’ output to rise, he said. “They’re done with that.” Blanch noted that the change in strategy is already producing results, with the latest US oil-drilling data from Baker Hughes Co. showing the lowest rig count in about four years. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or insulting comments will be removed.

Oil extended last week’s gain as a renewed round of US-China trade talks offered the potential for reduced global tensions. West Texas Intermediate futures gained 1.1% to settle at $65 a barrel, the highest price since early April. Negotiators from the US and China were holding talks in London on Monday, raising the possibility the two largest economies can make progress on disputes that have rattled markets this year.  Commodity trading advisers, which can accelerate price momentum, liquidated short positions to sit flat in WTI on Monday, compared with 64% short on June 5, according to data from Bridgeton Research Group. A 3% to 4% price move higher from current price levels may trigger the funds to flip to net-long for the first time since February, the group added.  The United Nations nuclear watchdog, meanwhile, said Iran’s rapidly increasing stockpile of uranium can’t be ignored ahead of a consequential meeting this week in Vienna. Traders have been keeping a close eye on the progress of nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran, with a setback potentially crimping flows from the OPEC member.  Crude has recovered after plunging earlier this year on the twin hit of bumper OPEC+ supply increases and concerns about the outlook for demand following President Donald Trump’s tariff policies. Now, though, the peak summer demand season is looming and markets are looking tighter.  The nearest US crude futures are trading more than $1 above the next month, which indicates tight short-term supplies.  Prices WTI for July delivery climbed 1.1% to settle at $65.29 barrel in New York. Futures jumped 6.2% last week. Brent for August settlement rose 0.9% to settle at $67.04 a barrel. WHAT DO YOU THINK? Generated by readers, the comments included herein do not reflect the views and opinions of Rigzone. All comments are subject to editorial review. Off-topic, inappropriate or

Dive Brief: The Midcontinent Independent System Operator appears to have adequate power supplies for its next planning year, which starts June 2026 — an improvement from a year ago, according to a survey discussed at a workshop the grid operator held Friday. MISO will have a potential surplus over an expected reserve margin ranging from 1.4 GW to 6.1 GW in accredited capacity for next summer, according to the latest Organization of MISO States-MISO annual survey. Last year’s survey indicated that MISO faced a 2.7 GW shortfall to a 1.1 GW surplus for this summer. “The 2025 OMS-MISO resource adequacy survey reinforces that ongoing collaboration and information sharing through this tool is driving real progress,” Joe Sullivan, OMS president and vice chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, said during the workshop. “Capacity margins have improved since last year, and positive trends continue to emerge year over year, but we must keep up that momentum and continue to accelerate it.” Dive Insight: The OMS-MISO survey comes as utilities face growing demand for electricity, mainly from data center development. The survey indicates that electricity demand in MISO will grow 2.2% a year over the next five years, up from 1.6% annual growth in the last survey. The survey report, which is based on information collected in April, offers two forecasts: one, called the historical projection, is based on a three-year average pace of bringing power supplies online; the other, called the emerging projection, is based on MISO member responses to the survey. The historical projection results in an estimate that 3.5 GW of accredited capacity will be brought online annually on average; the emerging projection indicates 6.2 GW, on average, will begin operating each year. Using the historical projection, MISO could need an additional 1.5 GW to meet its reserve margin requirement for summer