Tampnet, the global leader in offshore connectivity, has secured a five-year contract with Island Driling AS to supply a complete, next-generation communications stack for the harsh-environment semi-submersible Island Innovator. The service includes low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite back-haul from Starlink and OneWeb, integrated with the Tampnet North Sea LTE and T-FAST (Multiple Carrier, Low Footprint, High Speed Antenna) microwave/fibre backbone. Combining this with an AI-driven orchestration layer that automatically routes each packet over the optimal path, the fully managed private 4G/5G network delivers seamless mobility and digitalisation across the entire rig.
"A well-connected rig is no longer a nice-to-have; it's the backbone for remote operations and data-driven decision-making," said Trygve Hagevik, CCO at Tampnet. "By blending LEO, LTE and LOS/fibre with real-time AI traffic steering and Private Network, we're giving Island Drilling the performance and resilience they need - plus the freedom to scale advanced use cases such as predictive maintenance, digital twins and autonomous inspections".
Roger Simmons, CEO, Island Drilling AS, added, "The Island Innovator operates in some of the world's toughest conditions. Tampnet's multi-layer network and private 5G capability will let our crews work smarter and safer while enabling our rig for the digital future".
What the contract delivers:
The deployment will be fully operational before Island Innovator commences its next North Sea campaign in Q4 2025.
Image credit: Island Drilling AS
About Tampnet
Founded in 2001 in Stavanger, Tampnet owns and operates the world's largest offshore high-capacity communications network, serving more than 350 fixed and mobile energy assets across the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America), Trinidad & Tobago and Canada. Tampnet's fibre, LTE and private 5G portfolio delivers low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity that underpins safer, smarter and more sustainable operations from site to shore.
About Island Drilling AS
Island Drilling AS is a Norwegian offshore drilling contractor established in 2006. Headquartered in Bergen with an office in Stavanger, the company owns and operates the harsh-environment semi-submersible Island Innovator, providing cost-efficient drilling, well intervention and plug-and-abandonment services across the North Sea, Barents Sea, Mediterranean and West Africa. Island Drilling's agile organisation is built on safety, innovation and sustainability in demanding offshore environments.
For further information, please contact:
Tampnet
Vegar Myklebust
Director, Sales and Business Development
vm@tampnet.com
Island Drilling AS
Jan Torvald Skaala
ITC Manager
jans@islanddrilling.no