Offshore network provider Tampnet has deployed Private Multi-Access Edge Compute (PMEC) for oil and gas company Vår Energi’s Jotun FPSO.

The company claims the deployment to be the first of its kind on a floating storage and offloading unit (FPSO).

To date, Tampnet has deployed private 4G or 5G for oil and energy customers for more than 350 rigs and vessels. The company operates offshore telecom infrastructure in the North Sea, the Gulf of Mexico (Gulf of America), Trinidad & Tobago, and Canada.

According to Tampnet, its latest deployment for Vår Energi provides the offshore platform with 4G and 5G capabilities.

Tampnet notes that the wireless coverage enables real-time data processing, seamless sensor integration, and smarter, safer platforms for the Jotun FPSO at the Balder Field on the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

The FPSO is supported by high-speed fiber-backhaul to the Ringhorne platform.

The deployment is part of Vår Energi’s Digital Field Worker program, which sets out to improve safety, efficiency, and data quality by connecting field workers on offshore installations with digital applications to cover 80 percent of tasks performed.

Tampnet states that the program is already fully implemented (using WiFi) on Goliat, with Gjøa to follow, while Vår’s Southern North Sea assets – including Balder and Ringhorne – are now 4G/5G enabled.

“This is a true industry-first, a digitally enabled FPSO with Edge compute onboard. 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. 

The company adds that its private MEC also includes dedicated cellular coverage, local compute power, and secure private network capabilities “to support real-time communication, predictive maintenance, Edge AI, remote assistance, and more.”

It comes just weeks after Tampnet claimed to have deployed the world’s first fully autonomous private 5G and Edge compute for oil firm Aker BP in Norway.

The Stavanger-based company installed private multi-Edge compute and 5G infrastructure on Edvard Grieg on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) last month.

Tampnet secures five-year deal to provide private network for Island Drilling’s Island Innovator

Also this week, Tampnet secured a five-year contract with Island Drilling AS.

The deal will see Tampnet supply a complete, next-generation communications stack for the harsh-environment semi-submersible Island Innovator.

This service includes low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite backhaul from Starlink and OneWeb, which is integrated with the Tampnet North Sea LTE and T-FAST (Multiple Carrier, Low Footprint, High Speed Antenna) microwave/fiber backbone.

An AI-driven orchestration layer automatically routes each packet over the optimal path, providing seamless mobility and digitalization 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/fiber 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.”

Tampnet expects the deployment to be fully operational before Island Innovator commences its next North Sea campaign in Q4 2025.