DeepStar

What DeepStar does

DeepStar is a global offshore technology development consortium founded in 1991 and headquartered at 1400 Smith Street, Houston, Texas. It operates as a member-funded, operator-led collaborative R&D forum for the deepwater oil and gas industry, serving major international oil companies including Shell, TotalEnergies, Chevron, Equinor, ExxonMobil, Petrobras, Woodside, bp, Occidental, CNOOC, JX Nippon, and INPEX. The consortium's mission is to develop cost-efficient, low-risk methods to produce hydrocarbons from deepwater through shared technology development, where individual R&D costs and risks would otherwise be prohibitive.

DeepStar's core offering is the CORE Program—an annual collaborative technology development initiative with a budget exceeding $1.2 million and structured around six technical subcommittees covering Subsea Systems Engineering, Flow Assurance, Fixed & Floating Offshore Production/Surface Facilities, Drilling/Completions/Interventions, Autonomous Operations, and Environmental topics. This is supplemented by elective Satellite Projects (each costing $2-3M+, funded via participant cash calls with 25-35% administration fees retained by DeepStar) and the Nippon Foundation Partnership, which co-funds up to $20M annually for global collaborative ocean innovation projects (12 projects planned for 2026-2027). Technically, the consortium advances subsea systems, long-distance tiebacks, hydrate remediation, insulated pipelines, deepwater pigging, floating production integrity management, autonomous underwater vehicles (notably Kawasaki's SPICE AUV), subsea docking stations for resident drones (with Ocean Power Technologies), and greenhouse gas/carbon abatement technologies.

DeepStar generates revenue through tiered annual membership fees ($100,000 for Operator Members and $15,000 for Associate Members, on a May-May cycle), satellite project administration fees (25% for Core Members, 35% for Non-Core Members), and coordination fees on Nippon Foundation partnership projects. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales combined with community-led engagement through technical subcommittees, workshops, and the annual DeepStar Technology Symposium (May 2026 at Chevron Houston Downtown). Until recently administered by Chevron, DeepStar now operates as an independent consortium under a member-elected Board.

Name

DeepStar

Legal name

DeepStar

Website

https://thedeepstar.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DeepStar is a member-funded, operator-led offshore technology development consortium founded in 1991, serving major international oil companies with deepwater operations through collaborative R&D in subsea systems, flow assurance, drilling, autonomous operations, and energy transition technologies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Offshore Technology Development Consortium

NAICS

Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment Manufacturing (333132), Environmental Consulting Services (54162)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533)

akta.pro primary industry

Subsea Services & Equipment (Subsea Trees, Umbilicals, Installation, IMR) (EUALABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Completion Tools & Subsurface Equipment (Packers, Liners, Valves, Sand Control) (EUALABAD), Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) & Autonomous Subsea Platforms (IMABAIAF), Geotechnical & Subsurface Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAB)

Keywords

• Offshore technology consortium
• Deepwater technology development
• Subsea systems engineering
• Flow assurance research
• Collaborative R&D consortium

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: DeepStar generates revenue through annual membership fees. Operator Members pay $100,000 annually (May-May), while Associate Members pay $15,000 annually. Membership provides access to core projects worth over $1 million and leverages over 50 times the value of the membership fee in project access.
2. Satellite Project Administration Fees: Satellite projects are funded through separate cash calls from project participants. Core Members receive a 25% discount on satellite project administration fees, while Non-Core Members pay a 35% administration fee. This creates a tiered revenue stream based on membership level.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

DeepStar is a joint industry technology development consortium that enables member oil and gas companies to collaboratively advance deepwater offshore technologies through shared-funded research projects. Its core offerings include the annual CORE Program (budget over $1.2M), elective Satellite Projects (e.g., $3M Subsea Mechanical Dispersion, $2.5M Surface Controlled Subsurface Safety Valves), and the Nippon Foundation Partnership (with 12 partnership projects planned for 2026-2027). Members pay annual fees ($100,000 Operator / $15,000 Associate) and gain access to deliverables, reports, and collaborative forums across six technical subcommittees covering subsea systems, flow assurance, surface facilities, drilling, autonomous operations, and environmental topics.

Product overview

DeepStar is a global offshore technology development consortium—not a traditional software product company—offering collaborative technology development programs for the oil and gas industry's deepwater needs. The CORE Program serves as the primary collaborative framework, supplemented by elective Satellite Projects funded by participants, and the Nippon Foundation Partnership for globally-funded collaborative development. These programs are organized through six technical subcommittees covering Subsea Systems Engineering, Flow Assurance, Surface Facilities, Drilling/Completions/Interventions, Autonomous Operations, and Environmental topics. DeepStar does not develop or sell commercial software products; rather, it facilitates joint industry research and technology transfer among member companies including major oil producers and service companies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CORE Program DeepStar's primary annual collaborative technology development program addressing members' common offshore deepwater technology needs, discussing industry issues, and developing ideas for larger Satellite Projects. Annual budget exceeds $1,200,000 with the program year running May to May. Operator Members pay $100,000 annually and Associate Members pay $15,000 annually to access all CORE projects, deliverables and reports.
• Satellite Projects Elective collaborative projects funded through separate cash calls from project participants. Core Members receive a 25% discount on satellite project administration fees while Non-Core Members pay a 35% administration fee. Examples include Subsea Mechanical Dispersion ($3M), Surface Controlled Subsurface Safety Valves ($2.5M), and 20K Systems Validation ($2.3M).
• Nippon Foundation DeepStar Partnership Global collaborative technology development program with the Nippon Foundation, providing annual budget up to $20 million for joint ocean innovation projects. The 2026-2027 cycle includes 12 partnership projects funded by the Nippon Foundation, with deliverables and reports worth over $4 million delivered by end of 2024.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 50x leverage value on $100,000 membership fee accessing over $5 million of projects
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and historical.

• Nippon FoundationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2019Major partnership providing annual budget of up to $20 million for global collaborative technology development. The Nippon Foundation funds joint ocean innovation projects with DeepStar, with 12 partnership projects planned for 2026-2027. This leverage enables DeepStar to access other stakeholders' capital investment for deepwater technology advancement.
• Promethean EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed the DeepStar Decommissioning Technology Webinar presenting findings from the Innovative Technologies in Decommissioning – DeepStar Project 23501 Report. Focuses on identifying and evaluating innovative technologies and methodologies for offshore decommissioning activities to reduce costs while ensuring safety and environmental standards.
• Ocean Power TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAwarded subsea systems engineering contract by DeepStar. Collaborated on PowerBuoy testing as part of DeepStar's 'Zero Carbon Power for Electric Subsea Operations' project. Working on subsea docking station development for resident underwater drones.
• Upwing EnergycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on Magnetic Drive System project for Electric Submersible Pumps. Phase II includes design, build and test of enabling technologies for reliable and retrievable ESP systems targeting deepwater offshore applications. Sponsored by Nippon Foundation - DeepStar Joint Ocean Innovation program.
• Mitsubishi Heavy IndustriescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating with Upwing Energy on Magnetic Drive System project for Electric Submersible Pumps. MHI designs, fabricates and tests high-speed, efficient hydraulic pump stages as part of the DeepStar-funded Phase II development.
• INTECSEAhistoricalStrategic or Co-development PartnerManaged the first phase of the DeepStar Program sponsored by Texaco in 1992. Emerged as industry leader in deepwater subsea technology for water depths to 2,800m and beyond, providing services for frontier deepwater field developments and unusual service conditions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL): NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that conducts R&D on fossil energy and carbon management technologies. It is comparable as a publicly-funded research consortium collaborating with operators on energy technology development.
• Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult): ORE Catapult is a UK-based offshore technology innovation and research center focused on offshore wind, wave, and tidal energy. It is comparable as a consortium-style technology development body operating in the offshore domain, though focused on renewables rather than hydrocarbons.
• Subsea UK: Subsea UK is the industry body for the UK subsea sector, representing companies across the subsea supply chain. It is comparable as an industry association aligned with subsea technology development, though broader in scope than DeepStar's deepwater operator focus.
• International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC): IADC is a global industry association representing drilling contractors and serves as a forum for technical collaboration and standards development. It is comparable as an industry-level collaborative body in the upstream sector, though broader in membership than DeepStar.

Others

• Wood Mackenzie / Veriten (research advisors): Wood Mackenzie is an energy research and consultancy firm frequently engaged by DeepStar members for upstream technology and market analysis. Adjacent as an industry research and advisory provider rather than a direct consortium peer.

Emerging players

• Ocean Power Technologies: Ocean Power Technologies is a subsea power and AUV solutions provider collaborating with DeepStar on its 'Zero Carbon Power for Electric Subsea Operations' project and subsea docking station development. It is comparable in the subsea autonomous systems domain.
• Kawasaki Heavy Industries (SPICE AUV): Kawasaki developed the SPICE subsea pipeline inspection AUV under DeepStar sponsorship — the world's first subsea pipeline inspection robot. Comparable in autonomous subsea technology development relevant to DeepStar's Autonomous Operations subcommittee.
• Upwing Energy: Upwing Energy is a subsea technology company partnering with DeepStar and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries on a Magnetic Drive System for Electric Submersible Pumps. It overlaps with DeepStar's subsea systems work and is a partner in funded projects.

Direct peers

• CO2 Capture Project (CCP): CCP is an operator-led joint industry program founded in 2000 to advance CO2 capture, storage, and utilization. It is directly comparable to DeepStar as a consortium model where major energy companies pool funds for shared pre-competitive technology development.
• INTECSEA: INTECSEA is a subsea engineering consultancy that managed Phase I of the DeepStar Program when it was originally sponsored by Texaco in 1992. It is a direct peer given its parallel expertise in deepwater subsea engineering and frontier field development.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/deepstartech
• Facebookfacebook.com/DeepStar
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deepstar

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DeepStar