Tampnet, the leading provider of offshore high-capacity, low-latency connectivity solutions, announces the deployment of a Private Multi-Access Edge Compute (PMEC) with 4G/5G capabilities on Vår Energi's Jotun FPSO, the first installation of its kind on a floating production storage and offloading unit (FPSO).
Stavanger, Norway - 11 August 2025
The deployment marks a new chapter in offshore operations, where full wireless coverage lays the foundation for real-time data processing, seamless sensor integration and smarter, safer platforms. The Jotun FPSO at the Balder Field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS) is now the first FPSO globally equipped with a full PMEC-enabled private network, supported by high-speed fibre-backhaul to the Ringhorne platform.
The project is part of Vår Energi's Digital Field Worker program, which is improving safety, efficiency and data quality by connecting field workers on offshore installations with digital applications to cover 80% of tasks performed. The program is already fully implemented (using Wi-Fi) on Goliat, with Gjøa to follow, while Vår's Southern North Sea assets - including Balder and Ringhorne - are now 4G/5G enabled. Jotun FPSO leads the next digital phase, powered by Tampnet's Private 4G/5G PMEC solution.
"This is a true industry-first, a digitally enabled FPSO with edge compute onboard. Vår Energi is raising the bar, and we're proud to help them lead this transformation. This deployment showcases how combining connectivity and edge technology creates smarter, safer and more autonomous offshore operations", said Per Atle Sørensen, Vice President and Head of Market Unit North Sea at Tampnet.
Tampnet's solution at Jotun includes dedicated cellular coverage, local compute power (PMEC) and secure private network capabilities to support real-time communication, predictive maintenance, edge AI, remote assistance and more.
The offshore environment presents unique challenges: steel structures block traditional Wi-Fi signals, latency can be critical, and safe operations depend on instant communication and data access. Private networks with edge computing solve this by enabling real-time data transfer from sensors and devices platform-wide.
Photo credit: Woldcam / Vår Energi
About Tampnet
Tampnet, founded in Stavanger in 2001, owns and operates the world's largest offshore high-capacity communications network spanning the North Sea and Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America), with additional locations extending from the East Coast of Canada, East Coast USA and Trinidad and Tobago. Serving customers in the offshore oil and gas, wind energy, maritime and carrier sectors, Tampnet provides first-class telecommunications through their robust and flexible telecommunications network, ensuring seamless and reliable connectivity, supporting critical operations and enabling digital transformation onsite.
Dedicated to contributing to a carbon neutral future, Tampnet is implementing various internal initiatives to support these goals and carrying out upgrades of legacy infrastructure to more energy efficient 4G/5G technology. Through their network, Tampnet enables offshore industry to digitalize operations for safer, more efficient facilities, with LTE, NB-IoT and private networks to support wireless sensors for condition monitoring, predictive maintenance, and remote operations. In creating new, high quality routes alternatives, Tampnet is improving accessibility to new, carbon neutral data centres in the Nordics, designing the services to meet the capacity and latency demands of the future.
For further information, please contact:
Per Atle Sørensen
Vice President and Head of Market Unit North Sea
pas@tampnet.com
For media enquires, please contact:
Renate Bakken
Marketing Coordinator
rba@tampnet.com
