A project to create a digital subsea production system (SPS) may be launched in Russia in 2017, Deputy Industry and Trade Minister Vasily Osmakov said in an interview with RIA Novosti. The project will be implemented under a contract with Gazprom.

"One of the projects we plan to launch under the National Technology Initiative provides for creating a digital subsea production system. The project has been ordered by major players. It fits the concept of a digital economy and a digital future and will also seriously reduce costs. Taken together, this makes the project very attractive and promising," Osmakov said.

He added that another positive element of this project is that it helps reduce spending on in-place tests.

"Gazprom, as the anchor client, is creating a consortium for this project. I hope we will be able to discuss the project at the TechNet working group of the National Technology Initiative in the second quarter of 2017 and launch it by the end of the year," Osmakov said.

Russian companies will constitute the core group under this project.