Aker BP’s Edmary Altamiranda has been named one of Norway’s top tech women in 2025. She has led groundbreaking technological development in underwater wireless communication, digital twins, and field architecture optimization. What truly makes her a role model is her ability to lift the people around her.

Photos: Kilian Munch

When Edmary Altamiranda began her engineering studies at Universidad de Los Andes in Mérida, Venezuela in the 1990s, artificial intelligence was still a niche field in most industries. For Edmary, it was already a natural part of the curriculum and clearly part of the future. AI studies were not just theoretical. From the beginning, she applied technologies like neural networks, fuzzy systems, and evolutionary algorithms to complex processes in the petrochemical industry. This became the foundation for a career defined by innovation, resilience, and the ability to turn research into real-world solutions.

Her academic credentials speak for themselves. She completed practical training, a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and a PhD focused on AI, control, and systems engineering. She achieved all of this while working full-time in a demanding industry, since PhD programs were not publicly funded. Her research was implemented in industry during the process and delivered value from day one.

This drive led her to Universidad de Pamplona in Colombia, where she taught and supervised research in artificial intelligence and control systems. Later, she moved to Sweden for a postdoctoral position at Chalmers University of Technology. Still, her passion remained with the energy sector. When the opportunity arose to work with subsea technology in Norway, she took it.

In the following years, she worked across offshore operations, maintenance, field development, research, and product innovation in the subsea domain. Since 2018, Edmary has led technology development and business transformation at Aker BP. Today, she plays a central role in shaping the next generation of digital and autonomous solutions for the energy industry.

One of her most groundbreaking projects is an underwater acoustic communication protocol, essentially “underwater WiFi,” which enables smart and autonomous operations beneath the surface. This is being developed in collaboration with the Subsea Wireless Group (SWiG) and experts from the United States, Italy, Sweden, and Norway.

She also developed a digital twin framework based on a “System of Systems” approach. This has influenced international standards and has been cited across industries. The framework was also featured in a dedicated chapter in the book Digital Twin Fundamentals and Applications, published in collaboration with the Digital Twin Consortium.

Another major project is a tool for optimizing field architecture using evolutionary algorithms. It began in collaboration with a postdoctoral researcher from SUBPRO SFI and is now being further developed with a Brazilian technology company. The tool is currently in the qualification phase and is on its way to commercialization.

Edmary has contributed several publications related to her ongoing projects to international research communities.

«I love pushing the boundaries of the state of the art, in line with our vision for the future,» she says.

Still, this is not just about technology. It is also about people. What truly sets Edmary apart is how she leads. She builds inclusive and diverse teams, bringing together people from different countries, backgrounds, and disciplines. Her teams include female engineers and suppliers. For Edmary, inclusion is not about checking a box. It is about quality and reliability.

«I always put competence first. Diverse teams deliver better results, and I’ve seen that over and over again,» she says.

Edmary has mentored master’s students, PhD candidates, postdocs, and young engineers throughout her career. Today, she ensures that those she leads work on real-world challenges, contribute to meaningful solutions, and grow as professionals.

Edmary has a clear vision for the future of the energy sector. She envisions a workplace where inclusion is a natural part of how work is done, where mentoring is the norm, and where diversity provides a competitive advantage. This is not just a value statement, but a strategy for innovation.

At Aker BP, she is already helping make this vision a reality, as an engineer, a culture builder, a mentor, and a technology leader.

Throughout her career, across countries, languages, and disciplines, Edmary Altamiranda has challenged expectations and uplifted those around her. She is not only a technological pioneer. She is a model for what strong leadership in technology should look like.

The Skarv Satellite Project (SSP) has signed a new contract to use Floatel Endurance at the Skarv field – this time for a period of six months in 2026. The floatel is expected to return to the Skarv field during spring/early summer next year.

Last year, the increased bed capacity at the field contributed to the project being able to carry out essential modification work and prepare the FPSO for the three subsea developments coordinated through the Skarv Satellite Project. When we get the floatel back in place next year, we ensure the offshore capacity we need to complete the work on the Skarv ship before production from the three fields starts in 2027, says Kristine Bergseth Gunnarshaug, project manager for the Skarv Satellite Project.

Important for Skarv

In addition to ensuring good progress on the satellite project last year, the increased bed capacity made it possible to carry out preventive maintenance on the Skarv ship. The return of the flotel to the field enables the Skarv team to plan for a wider scope of work in addition to activities directly linked to the SSP project.

– The use of flotel at Skarv is an important step for the development of the Skarv area and for the Skarv production ship to produce safely and efficiently for many years to come, says Marte Mogstad, director of Skarv.

The intake of the floatel to Skarv FPSO last year also pushed boundaries in the sense that it had never been done so far north on the shelf before.

Pushing Boundaries

Gunnarshaug emphasizes the good cooperation with Floatel International in regards to the planning and execution of last year’s campaign. Despite occasionally challenging weather and conditions, the floatel stay was very successful, with high activity levels and a total of over 23,000 guest nights during the eight months the floatel was at the field. The busiest period was during the major Turnaround (TAR), which had to be carried out simultaneously with the stop at Kårstø last autumn. During that time, over 37,000 hours of work were performed on Skarv, with a peak of 435 people on board Skarv and the floatel. The experiences from last year provide a good basis for planning activities when the floatel returns to the FPSO next year.

A new round with the floatel at Skarv also involves high activity in the Brønnøysund and Sandnessjøen areas, among other things by using existing infrastructure. This is in line with Aker BP’s strategy that offshore activity should also create positive ripple effects on land.

How can we secure jobs in the oil and gas sector while meeting climate goals?

Recently, Energy minister Terje Aasland (Labour Party / Arbeiderpartiet) and Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party (Høyre), Tina Bru, met to debate the future of Norway’s petroleum industry. The debate, moderated by Sofie Valdersnes from Aker BP, brought together around 300 employees from Aker BP and Aker Solutions in Stavanger.

Karl Johnny Hersvik and Pål Eikeseth on Future Priorities
Aker BP’s CEO, Karl Johnny Hersvik, participated in the debate alongside Pål Eikeseth from Aker Solutions. Hersvik highlighted that increasing exploration and making new discoveries is key to sustaining activity:
– We have technology that allows us to explore more efficiently and cover larger areas faster. By using artificial intelligence (AI), we can make better interpretations and more quickly identify the most promising areas.

Hersvik also emphasized the importance of internal improvement initiatives to maintain competitiveness:
– We must adopt new technology, streamline processes, and shorten the time from discovery to development. AI will not only simplify this process but also reshape the labor market. Some types of jobs will disappear, but at the same time, new opportunities and different roles will emerge.

Proud of our oil industry
During the debate, both Aasland and Bru highlighted the importance of Norway’s petroleum industry, especially in light of the geopolitical situation following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
– We should be proud of our oil industry. What we do is critical to ensuring that European industries are not forced to shut down, said Aasland.

Green technology and collaboration
While exploration and production are vital for the industry’s future, the development of green technology must also be prioritized. Offshore wind, hydrogen, and other green projects were central to the discussion. Bru urged collaboration:
– We must collectively emphasize the importance of green projects. The industry plays a crucial role in communicating this to both politicians and society.

The road ahead
Aker BP and its employees play a vital role in balancing traditional petroleum operations with the development of future solutions. The collaboration between politicians, unions, and the industry provides a strong foundation for continued growth and innovation.

Over the past decades, geoscientists have sought to unlock the true potential of PS seismic data to enhance oil and gas exploration, development and production. Recent technological advancements and successful PS seismic imaging projects are now bringing this ambition closer to reality, with significant implications for field development and exploration planning. 

Why PS waves? A new level of subsurface clarity

Historically, PP seismic data have been the industry standard for subsurface imaging. Conventional PP seismic waves, with compressional wave motion, are sensitive to both rock properties and their fluid fill, whereas the shear wave component of converted PS waves (compressional-to-shear) is largely unaffected by fluid properties. Analyzing both PP and PS seismic in conjunction therefore provides unique opportunities in distinguishing rock and fluid types and pinpointing resource-rich zones, imaging under gas-filled, attenuative structures and distinguishing saturation and pressure effects during production.

This clarity directly supports well planning, allowing us to more accurately target areas with potential oil and gas reserves. Similar advantages are seen in time-lapse (4D) seismic. Here, the addition of PS data can enable discrimination between pressure and saturation changes induced by hydrocarbon production, in turn providing important information for planning of infill wells.  Collecting data with seismic receivers on the seabed captures both PP and PS waves, but until now, processing PS data effectively has been a challenge due to its complexity and the lack of advanced algorithms. 

Benchmarking and processing: Laying the foundation

Aker BP recently conducted a comprehensive research and development benchmarking exercise for processing and imaging of PS data, using data from Ivar Aasen, focusing on achieving optimal results on field data applications and the development of robust algorithms. This benchmark serves as a key element in technical verification, proving the viability of using PS data for imaging prospective areas like those in Symra Phase 2, where utilization of PS data is planned to optimize recovery.  

Parallel to the external benchmark, Aker BP has realized a new internally developed algorithm which addresses long-standing challenges in PS seismic data processing, such as decoupling PP and PS wave-propagation and scattering in an efficient and accurate manner. Although not yet applied in a full-scale setting, the initial field-data applications of the algorithm have already shown promising results. 

Inspiring Symra Phase 2: Learning from Ivar Aasen

The PS benchmark at the Ivar Aasen field partially served as a technical validation of PS data for targets such as Grid sand injectites (Fig. 1) and Heimdal channel sands (Fig. 2), where the conventional PP data appear less efficient in characterizing these sands. This carries a direct implication for the phase 2 development of the neighbouring Symra field, aimed at Grid and Heimdal targets. Given the successful PS results at Ivar Aasen, the Symra license decided to process PS seismic data to assist well planning and field development for the phase 2 development. For the team at Symra, this will hopefully mean better subsurface understanding, improved well planning, and increased potential for efficient oil and gas recovery.

Enhancing data with full-waveform inversion: Improving resolution and reducing uncertainty

For conventional PP seismic, full-waveform inversion technologies have been key to improve the imaging robustness over the past decade. However, similar developments have been lacking for the more complicated PS seismic waveforms, which has slowed adoption of this datatype. Aker BP acknowledged that both collaboration with external vendors and performing internal R&D should be leveraged to close the technology gap for PS data processing. 

A significant milestone achieved through collaboration with vendors has been field data applications of new implementations of full-waveform inversion of PS data. This advanced imaging technique brings sharper subsurface detail, reduces uncertainties, and opens new opportunities by providing a more robust view of complex geological formations. The level of detail offered in the resulting shear-wave velocity model (Fig. 2b)) can be much higher than the resolution limits of conventional PS processing methods (Fig. 2a)) and give a better structural image. As the first field-data verification and results from one vendor, these results have been published in conference settings [1].

To address the challenges of robust imaging with complex PS waves while accounting for the full elastic wave-physics of the subsurface, researchers at Aker BP have described a novel algorithm for PS-data full-waveform inversion. In an efficient manner, this development circumvents many of the approximations for wave-physics found in competing algorithms. The technology, along with promising initial field-data results, has been presented at the EAGE 2024 conference [2]. In this work, Fig. 4b) demonstrates the de-blurring properties of PS-FWI, compared to a PS-RTM shear-impedance image at the same frequency content (Fig. 4a). Similarly, initial tests on retrieving the shear-wave velocity with this methodology, Fig. 4c), suggests that the higher velocities of the Grid injectites are being correctly added. More involved and encouraging field-data applications are currently running. This R&D activity and its field data applications have majorly benefited from Aker BP’s newly installed on-premise computational resources. 

The next steps in research and industry application

The efforts and achievements at Ivar Aasen and Symra are just the beginning. Aker BP is set to continue its commitment to PS seismic research and algorithm development, with a newly launched project extending through 2026. This initiative includes partnerships with organizations like NTNU, where industry-focused Ph.D. candidates contribute to the advancement of seismic technology. 

Moving forward, we will work closely with service providers, including Viridien, TGS, and SLB, as they refine their PS data processing capabilities. This collaboration reflects a growing industry interest in making PS-wave imaging a commercial reality, further demonstrating the potential for PS seismic data to shape the future of oil and gas exploration. 

Acknowledgments and looking forward

Special thanks go to the dedicated team members, including Ross Milne, Ole Edvard Aaker, Ørjan Pedersen, and Espen B. Raknes, who have driven this project since early 2021. Their work has already made an impact within Aker BP and in the wider industry, with presentations at prominent conferences like EAGE. 
 
We thank the Ivar Aasen license, Aker BP, Equinor, Sval Energi, OKEA and M Vest Energy, for permission to show the seismic-related images. 
Geophysicists at the Ivar Aasen asset, particularly Jon Moen Lippard and Nora Løhre, are thanked for their support and interest in the project. 

As we advance, these technological breakthroughs position Aker BP at the forefront of seismic innovation, reinforcing our commitment to efficient, data-driven field development. 

References

[1]: Zhai, Yongbo, et al. PS Reflection-Based Full-Waveform Inversion Using Single-Mode Propagator. SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts, 2024
[2]: Aaker, O. E., Ø. Pedersen, and E. B. Raknes. «Elastic Reflection Waveform Inversion with a Novel PS Mode-Decomposed Misfit Functional.» 85th EAGE Annual Conference & Exhibition (including the Workshop Programme). Vol. 2024. No. 1. European Association of Geoscientists & Engineers, 2024.

The NPF Award is awarded annually to a candidate who has distinguished themselves by bringing important issues for the industry on the agenda. The award is a recognition of the effort put in and is presented at the Oil and Energy Policy Seminar in Sandefjord.

In the jury’s justification, it says: The 2024 award is given to Karl Johnny Hersvik for his role as a company developer, who over many years has built Aker BP to be a worthy challenger and competitor to Equinor on the Norwegian continental shelf, both through acquisitions (Marathon Oil, Premier Oil, Svenska Petroleum, BP-Norway, and Lundin) and through organic growth. As the driving force in Aker BP, he has contributed to the company investing over NOK 200 billion on the Norwegian continental shelf in the years after the pandemic and towards 2028.

He has been at the forefront of alliance development, technology development, and digitalization to streamline the industry and strengthen competitiveness on the Norwegian continental shelf.

He participates actively and with broad expertise in the public debate. He has also shown great commitment and has been a key attraction at several of NPF’s events. Kalle is fearless and clear, and has shown the courage to invest heavily in oil and gas in both good and bad times, thereby ensuring solid employment and industrial development in several places in the country.

The collaboration will enable Aker BP to optimize its subsurface exploration and development activities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf

Aker BP has entered a strategic partnership with PXGEO, to deploy an innovative seismic acquisition technology that will enhance the quality and efficiency of its subsurface exploration and development activities.

Aker BP targets to maximize value creation and flow efficiency by working as «One Team» and through a LEAN operations philosophy. To achieve this, we recognize that a value chain with strategic partnerships and alliances is essential. We therefore work together with our strategic partners on common goals to ensure continual improvement and share benefits and risk.

Recent results in seismic imaging and seismic velocity model building obtained from OBN (Ocean Bottom Node) data on the Norwegian Continental Shelf demonstrate an excess quality potential to other seismic dataset obtain by other methods. As part of Aker BP’s vision and strategy going forward, we seek to obtain and acquire more of these data. However, we are challenged by the relatively high cost of such operations.

PXGEO operates MantaRay, a hovering autonomous underwater vehicle engineered by Manta to deploy and recover ocean bottom nodes with minimal impact to the ocean floor. The MantaRay technology has the potential to reduce a seismic survey operation time significantly. This will enable Aker BP to capture more detailed and accurate images of the subsurface, reduce operational risks and environmental footprint, and optimize its exploration and development activities in the Norwegian Continental Shelf (NCS).

The partnership with PXGEO is part of Aker BP’s strategy to leverage digitalization and innovation to create value and drive performance. Ocean Bottom Node seismic data has traditionally been time consuming and expensive to acquire, and the technology has mainly been used for development projects and 4D seismic surveys. Aker BP sees the potential for leveraging the new technology brought by PXGEO to acquire large-scale OBN exploration surveys.

«We are very excited to partner with PXGEO to deploy this innovative seismic acquisition technology on the NCS. The MantaRay technology will enable us to acquire high-quality seismic data in a cost-effective and environmentally responsible way, and support our ambition to deliver profitable and sustainable growth on the NCS,» says Per Øyvind Seljebotn, Senior Vice President Exploration & Reservoir Development at Aker BP.

Signing up for an innovative collaboration: Helene Hafslund Veire (VP Exploration & Reservoir Development, Aker BP), Peter Zickerman (Founder and Executive Chairman, PXGEO), Karl Johnny Hersvik (CEO, Aker BP) and John Scott (Head of Sales – Europe & Africa, PXGEO)

In October, Aker BP, in collaboration with several operators, suppliers, authorities, and partners, organized a comprehensive emergency preparedness exercise called Tveegg. The evaluation has now been completed, and important learning points have been identified.

«The name Tveegg refers to a double-edged sword, symbolizing the balance between two critical processes: operational response and holistic planning,» explains project manager Harald Kvernstrøm.

The exercise challenged participants to handle both the acute incident and a strategic planning process simultaneously. By using the ICS methodology (Incident Command System), which is a recognized standard for crisis management, the collaboration between the actors was streamlined.

Large participation and cross-company collaboration

Over 180 people participated in the exercise, which was conducted at Aker BP’s offices in Jåttåvågen, with activities also in Haugesund, Sirevåg, and Farsund. NOFO (Norwegian Clean Seas Association for Operating Companies) contributed from their facilities at Forus.

For the first time, the assist-team agreement was tested in practice. The agreement ensures that operating companies can share trained personnel during serious incidents on the Norwegian continental shelf.

«It is challenging to organize an exercise of this size, but the learning outcome is significant. We challenge both the industry and our own organization, and see that many have gained networks and valuable experiences,» says Kvernstrøm.

As the action leader, Aker BP played a key role. To staff a robust emergency organization over time, support from other operators and suppliers will be necessary.

Effective systems and structure

Everyone who contributed to incident management was met with clear routines for parking, access cards, and IT access. A registration system provided a complete overview of attendance and the roles that were covered. Based on the experiences from the exercise, this system will be further developed.

The ICS methodology, which has been a gradually introduced standard in the Norwegian oil and gas industry since 2015, formed the basis for the exercise. Twelve operators and suppliers contributed personnel who worked across companies to solve tasks as efficiently as possible. All participants had completed ICS courses in advance, ensuring a common understanding of roles and tasks. Participants wore vests in different colors, clearly showing their roles in the ICS structure, and worked closely together to handle the scenario.

Realistic and educational exercise

To make the exercise as realistic as possible, a game staff in a nearby office simulated incidents that required responses from the participants. At the same time, controllers and evaluators monitored the exercise and assessed performances with the aim of strengthening preparedness and collaboration routines.

«The exercise confirmed that the assist-team agreement works. We managed to establish cooperation quickly and effectively, but also identified areas for improvement that we need to address to strengthen ourselves for future incidents,» says Kvernstrøm.

The way forward

The results from the exercise provide a basis for further development and training.

«Now we must continue to implement the improvements. This is not just about getting better in emergency situations, but also about strengthening the industry’s overall interests. We must ensure continuity and build robust preparedness for the future,» concludes Kvernstrøm.

«We will share the experiences from the Tveegg exercise with the other operators so that it can be useful before the next major joint exercise.»

We’re excited to contribute to this global effort and further position Aker BP as a leader in the industry!

We are proud to announce that Kåre Langaas has been selected by SPE as a global subject matter expert in the design of optimal production wells with inflow control.

The initiative, supported by SVP Per Øyvind Seljebotn, allows Aker BP to contribute to the industry’s knowledge-sharing efforts, with SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers) as the main sponsor.

Starting in November, the first global tour will take Kåre to China and Indonesia, followed by Brazil, Ecuador, the USA, and Mexico in February. A Norwegian tour is planned in May and will visit Harstad, Oslo, Trondheim, and Bergen.

This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Aker BP’s strong expertise while promoting sustainable well designs.

We’re excited to contribute to this global effort and further position Aker BP as a leader in the industry!

On 31 October, Aibel and Aker BP celebrated that the Munin utility module is ready for sail-away from Thailand. The first steel was cut in November last year. Now it is just weeks before the 2900 tonnes module will set sail from Aibel’s yard in Laem Chabang towards Haugesund. 

“I am extremely proud of the Munin team and their deliveries. We started construction a year ago in Thailand, after many years of planning and engineering. Shortly, the utility module will sail from Laem Chabang, as a key building block in the overall Haugesund assembly programme. This is a very important milestone for us – delivered as planned. A big thank you to everyone involved,” says Munin Project manager Håkon Helgå in Aker BP. 

Representatives from executive management in both companies joined the Munin team for the celebration at yard 2 on Thursday morning. The Norwegian Embassy in Thailand and Norwegian Church Abroad were present at the ceremony. 

Integrated team 

The Munin topside will weigh approximately 8000 tonnes, with a size of 62 by 42 metres and a height of 35 metres. The contract is valued at NOK 7 billion for Aibel and will provide work for around 2000 people in Asker, Haugesund, Singapore and Thailand.   

“This is the first greenfield project Aibel is delivering together with Aker BP. We have been collaboration closely for two years and have managed to establish an integrated one team working to deliver a unique topside for the Norwegian shelf,” says Munin Project director Erling Landsværk in Aibel.  

With Yggdrasil, Aker BP and licence partners Equinor and Orlen Upstream Norway, is setting a new standard with remote-controlled operations, unmanned platforms, new technology and a data-driven organisation. Munin, which is situated in the northern part of the area, is an unmanned production platform. This installation is the first of its kind on the Norwegian shelf.   

“Munin is being built without a helicopter deck, living quarters and lifeboats. Access to the platform will be carried out in campaigns through support vessels. Our priorities have been safety incorporated in the design, minimal maintenance requirements and streamlining of platform systems and functions to avoid manual operations,” explains Landsværk.   

The Munin utility module is over 32 metres long, 40 metres wide and 37 metres tall. Approximately 950 people have been working to complete the module in Thailand. 

Assembly on track 

Aibel Thailand is delivering the utility module, stair tower, flare boom and deck sections for the Munin process module through multiple shipments to Norway. Assembly and outfitting will take place at Aibel’s yard in Haugesund. 

“We started assembly of the Munin topside in the North Sea Hall in Haugesund in September. The first shipment with two process sections from Thailand arrived shortly after. We are progressing according to plan and the work has been carried out safely. Now we are really looking forward to receiving the next shipment from Thailand in Haugesund. In addition to the utility module, we will also receive almost 500 tonnes of structural sections for the process module in this shipment,” says Landsværk. 

In the next year the Munin topside will rise and fill North Sea Hall to the roof.  

“I witnessed Thai monks bless the steel when we did the first cut in Thailand. It is great to be present here today and see what the Munin team has achieved this last year. The delivery of the utility module is important for the integrated Yggdrasil plan. We are progressing fast forward in all delivery lines. Thousands of people in Norway and worldwide are involved. Then it is fantastic to be on site and celebrate together with some of the people behind this major development,” concludes Project director for Fixed Facilities deliveries in Yggdrasil, Peter Kupka.  

Assembly of the Munin topside at Aibel’s yard in Haugesund. Two sections have been installed on the grillage so far. In addition, the third section will be lifted these days.