SLB has announced that its OneSubsea joint venture has been awarded an engineering, procurement, and construction contract by bp to deliver a subsea boosting system for the Thunder Horse deepwater project in the Gulf of Mexico.
The award adds to a series of recent subsea boosting contracts bp has placed with SLB OneSubsea, following similar deals for the Kaskida and Tiber developments.
BP Awards Thunder Horse Subsea Boosting Contract to SLB OneSubsea
Under the newly awarded EPC contract, SLB OneSubsea will deliver a complete subsea boosting system for bp’s Thunder Horse deepwater project. The scope covers project management, engineering, manufacturing, and testing — the full cycle from design through delivery. SLB, a global energy technology company listed on the NYSE, made the announcement.
Thunder Horse is a major deepwater development operated by bp in the Gulf of Mexico. The contract adds another significant project to SLB OneSubsea’s portfolio, further cementing the company’s role as a primary supplier for bp’s Gulf of Mexico operations.
Contract Is Third in a Series of Standardized BP Subsea Boosting Awards
The Thunder Horse award does not stand alone. It follows two earlier subsea boosting contracts that bp placed with SLB OneSubsea for the Kaskida and Tiber developments, both located in the Gulf of Mexico.
One thread connects all three: the use of a supplier-led, standardized high-pressure subsea boosting system. Rather than commissioning custom designs for each project, bp and SLB OneSubsea are applying a consistent technical approach across the developments. SLB says this standardization is intended to improve execution efficiency and compress delivery timelines — a practical advantage when managing multiple large-scale deepwater projects at once.
Repeating the same supplier and the same system across Kaskida, Tiber, and now Thunder Horse signals a clear preference for continuity over project-by-project customization.
Standardized Approach Aims to Cut Deployment Time and Boost Recovery
The case for standardization goes beyond administrative convenience. SLB OneSubsea’s processing technology is designed to increase production volumes and improve hydrocarbon recovery rates from subsea fields — outcomes that directly affect commercial returns.
When the core design is already proven and documented, teams spend less time solving novel technical problems and more time executing. That translates to faster deployment compared to fully custom configurations.
Mads Hjelmeland, CEO of SLB OneSubsea, articulated the broader value proposition. “Subsea boosting is an important enabler for extending production from existing assets,” he said. “Our standardized subsea solutions support faster deployment and improved efficiency, helping operators enhance production and recovery while optimizing overall field performance.” His comment positions subsea boosting not only as a tool for new developments, but as a way to extract more value from fields already producing.
Background: SLB OneSubsea and the Thunder Horse Field
SLB OneSubsea is a joint venture backed by SLB, Aker Solutions, and Subsea7. Headquartered in both Oslo and Houston, it employs approximately 10,000 people worldwide and focuses on digital and technology innovation to optimize oil and gas production, reduce emissions in subsea operations, and develop solutions suited to a longer-term energy future.
Its parent, SLB, has operated in the energy technology sector for 100 years and maintains a presence in more than 100 countries — spanning oil and gas innovation, digital solutions, industrial decarbonization, and new energy systems.
Thunder Horse is one of bp’s flagship deepwater assets in the Gulf of Mexico. As a mature development, it represents precisely the kind of existing asset that subsea boosting technology is built to support: extending productive life and improving recovery from reservoirs already brought online.
A Standardized High-Pressure System That Works
The core facts are straightforward. SLB OneSubsea has won an EPC contract from bp to supply a subsea boosting system for the Thunder Horse deepwater project in the Gulf of Mexico, covering project management, engineering, manufacturing, and testing.
This is the third consecutive subsea boosting contract bp has awarded to SLB OneSubsea, following Kaskida and Tiber. All three projects use the same standardized high-pressure system — a choice both companies say supports faster execution and greater efficiency across the program.
SLB OneSubsea brings roughly 10,000 employees and a century of parent-company experience to the work, backed by SLB, Aker Solutions, and Subsea7. The Thunder Horse contract deepens that relationship and pushes SLB OneSubsea’s footprint further into bp’s Gulf of Mexico deepwater portfolio.
