Discover how Equinor’s new Marine Robotics Centre in Norway could transform offshore operations, improve worker safety, reduce costs, and shape the future of marine robotics.

Equinor has established a new marine robotics center in Norway, which may revolutionize the way oil and gas firms inspect and maintain their offshore assets. This center will provide an opportunity to test underwater drones, robots and autonomous ships in an operational setting, thus making offshore operations more secure, efficient and cost-effective.

KNARR, the Kårstø Marine Robotics Center, was established on October 28 at the Equinor Kårstø processing plant in Tysvær, Norway. It aims to strengthen the country’s position in marine robotics while supporting reliable oil and gas production.

KNARR Brings Real-World Testing to Marine Robotics

Unlike facilities limited to early-stage experiments, KNARR will allow developers to test technologies around existing subsea infrastructure. This includes power cables, export pipelines, underwater structures and three designated test areas at depths of 25, 140 and 250 metres.

The facility also has three kilometres of subsea cable and associated electronics for testing sensor technology over time. Another technology that has been developed is the distributed acoustic sensing technology that works by making use of vibrations in light signals in the fiber-optic cables.

The centre was formally launched by Norway’s Minister of Research and Higher Education, Eileen Fugelsnes. Equinor and Gassco, which manages the gas transport, have contributed NOK 16 million for setting up the centre.

Can Underwater Robots Cut Costs and Improve Safety?

According to Equinor, it envisions the use of marine robots for performing routine inspection, surveillance and maintenance activities that otherwise will have to be done by bigger ships. Hege Skryseth, Equinor’s executive vice president for Technology, Digitalisation and Innovation, explained the thinking behind the project.

“At the KNARR centre, we can test and mature technology that makes offshore operations safer, more efficient and more data driven,” she said.

These technologies are expected to bring cost savings of hundreds of millions of Norwegian Kroner per year. Equinor has also set a target of substantially cutting costs by 2035.

Underwater drones could take care of smaller tasks, leaving the larger ships to perform complicated functions. Improved sensor data would also allow the operators to detect possible problems sooner and make sound decisions about the maintenance process.

Norway Wants to Build on Its Marine Technology Strength

KNARR is designed to serve multiple maritime industries, including oil and gas, aquaculture, offshore wind, shipping and defence. Sharing testing facilities and expertise across these sectors could help researchers and suppliers develop solutions that work in demanding marine conditions.

The centre also builds on Norway’s established research capabilities in robotics and digital technology. Testing equipment alongside operational infrastructure gives developers an opportunity to assess performance under realistic conditions before wider deployment.

What Comes Next for Marine Robotics?

With the growing importance of data in the extraction of energy from the sea, robots could play an even greater role in ensuring that the infrastructure continues to operate efficiently. Better technology could result in more autonomous inspection, constant environmental monitoring, and fault detection.

KNARR offers an opportunity to test these possibilities. As Business Fortune observes, the future success of KNARR will depend on how fast technology goes from experiment to operational reality, but the center can definitely contribute to making Norway more efficient offshore and boost its presence in marine robotics.

Sources: https://www.equinor.com/news/20261028-karsto-marine-robotics-centre https://www.rivieramm.com/news-content-hub/equinor-opens-marine-robotics-centre-in-norway-90406