Be V-LIFE ready – prioritising prevention over intervention
February 17, 2025
In the demanding world of subsea operations, where every second of production counts, time is a luxury. Operators face a complex mix of challenges—aging infrastructure, harsh environments, and the gradual but inevitable degradation of critical cables. Water ingress and declining insulation resistance (IR) aren’t minor inconveniences—they’re potential production stoppers, threatening reliability, safety, and the bottom line.
But what if we could rewrite the narrative? What if instead of reacting to faults, operators could anticipate and prevent them? Viper Innovations believes in a smart approach—one where readiness and resilience are built into every system from day one to proactively prepare for these challenges.
With our advanced line insulation monitor, V-LIM, or subsea alternative V-SLIM, already installed, V-LIFE can be activated instantly, actively ‘healing’ low IR in umbilical cables and restoring system health, before system failure. This is the essence of being V-LIFE ready: always prepared, with a solution ready at the click of a mouse, when you need it most.
Why wait for a crisis when you can stay ahead?
The current response to cable faults using existing monitoring solutions is largely reactionary: wait for an issue to surface, decide if the IR warrants attention, then try to fix it. But this approach potentially comes with steep costs:
- Unplanned Downtime: Production halts when systems are shut down or fail unexpectedly.
- Escalating Expenses: Emergency interventions are disruptive and expensive.
- Safety Risks: Degraded insulation can compromise the safety of personnel and assets alike.
The window for intervention can be narrow, depending on how low IR levels have dropped and when Viper Innovations is engaged in the process. By the time IR levels drop to critical, the damage is often already done.
With Intelligence Installed, Viper Innovations’ V-LIFE technology shifts this paradigm. Instead of reacting to faults, V-LIFE empowers operators to stay ahead:
- Prevent faults before they occur.
- Maintain healthy IR levels and avoid costly repairs.
- Actively restore compromised cables, extending their lifespan and safeguarding production.
Featuring an advanced line insulation monitor working in partnership with an active healing solution, maintenance becomes proactive. It’s a mindset shift, transforming how operators think about reliability and control.
Laying the foundation with monitoring
At the heart of this approach is an advanced monitoring solution, V-LIM, which is Viper Innovations’ precision monitoring technology. V-LIM provides the data operators need to act confidently, offering:
- Real-time IR measurement, ensuring full visibility of system health.
- Early detection of faults, well before critical thresholds are reached, unlike traditional IMDs which often tell you too late.
- Unparalleled accuracy, setting it apart from competing integrity monitors.
Without V-LIM, once IR drops to critical levels, there’s no option for V-LIFE recovery unless the legacy LIM is replaced with V-LIM. That’s why we strongly recommend installing V-LIM from outset, ensuring your system is ready for V-LIFE activation whenever it’s needed.
The next evolution of this technology, V-LIM2, takes these capabilities even further. Designed specifically for the energy sector, V-LIM2 adds:
- Enhanced IR monitoring ranges for greater precision.
- Power monitoring capabilities, delivering deeper insights.
- An intuitive interface that makes data easier to interpret and act upon.
Whether for greenfield projects or aging brownfield assets, V-LIM2 is built to meet the evolving needs of the industry. Combined with PlatformVi, Viper’s intuitive data platform, operators can monitor trends, identify risks early, and make informed decisions with confidence. Best of all, the installation work is all topside—no subsea intervention is required. For subsea applications, V-SLIM extends visibility into the health of the system downstream of the transformers. V-SLIM solutions can be used for monitoring as well as being V-LIFE enabled, providing a comprehensive suite of solutions for system health—its Intelligence Installed.
Intelligence Installed: Viper Innovations' Subsea Solutions deliver a state-of-the-art technology ecosystem designed to safeguard subsea cable integrity
A holistic solution from monitoring to maintenance
Viper Innovations doesn’t stop at monitoring. The company offers a complete suite of solutions that work seamlessly together to address the full lifecycle of subsea cables:
- V-LIM: The foundation for precise monitoring and visibility via topside hardware.
- V-LIM2: An enhanced, future-ready version with advanced features.
- V-SLIM: Subsea intervention solutions designed for installation underwater, ensuring cables past the subsea transformer are ready from day one.
- V-LIFE: The only solution available offering both active fault prevention and healing for control cables with low IR.
V-LIM, V-LIM2, and V-SLIM serves as essential enablers for V-LIFE, while Platform Vi provides the vital insights needed to monitor system health and determine the perfect moment to activate V-LIFE. This ecosystem empowers operators with unparalleled control, reliability, and peace of mind, whether they’re protecting new installations or extending the life of aging infrastructure. With Viper’s integrated solutions, Intelligence Installed ensures optimal performance and long-term system health.
The power of proactivity
The key to success in subsea operations isn’t just technology—it’s timing. Knowing when to act can make the difference between uninterrupted production and costly downtime. With V-LIFE, operators can make smarter decisions, based on accurate data and actionable insights.
Getting started with V-LIFE is straightforward:
- Install V-LIM, V-LIM2, or V-SLIM: Establish the foundation for real-time system monitoring, whether for topside or subsea applications.
- Use PlatformVi: Harness detailed insights to track trends and predict when action is needed.
- Activate V-LIFE: The active-healing technology restores cable integrity and extends its lifespan.
The process is seamless, whether you’re upgrading existing systems or starting a new installation. V-LIM can even be retrofitted to replace older integrity monitors, and the V-LIM portable solution provides greater flexibility for different operational needs. Additionally, the V-SLIM Eurocard variant provides additional flexibility for subsea applications, while the V-SLIM canister variant delivers even more versatility.
Why act now?
Every day of delay carries risks—risks that Viper Innovations’ technology can help you avoid. By being-LIFE Ready today, operators gain:
- Cost Savings: Mitigate against loss of production and avoid unplanned downtime and emergency interventions.
- Increased Reliability: Maintain consistent, uninterrupted production.
- Enhanced Safety: Protect your assets and your people with robust systems.
Being V-LIFE READY is more than a technical decision—it’s a strategic choice. It’s about adopting proven, reliable innovation that safeguards your operations for long-term success. With over 12 years of field-tested performance, V-LIFE has accumulated 500+ years of operation, is trusted by 40+ global operators and has been exported to 20+ countries across six continents.
By choosing V-LIFE, you’re investing in the future of your operations, with a solution that’s built for reliable, sustained performance.
The future of subsea
The subsea industry is evolving, and operators need solutions that evolve with it. Viper Innovations delivers not just tools, but a proven approach—one that prioritises prevention over reaction. Join operators worldwide who are already protecting their assets and securing supply by installing Viper’s reliable solution—its Intelligence Installed.
Don’t wait for faults to escalate into failures that halt your operations. Take control. Be V-SMART, Be V-LIFE Ready.
Visit us at Subsea Expo, stand 69, to learn how our innovative technology can support your operations.
