My Vision for SBM Offshore's Next Data Challenge

An architecture evaluation and working prototype — from current state to a governed, self-service data platform built on Microsoft Fabric and Data Mesh.

Disclaimer: This analysis is based entirely on publicly available information. I have no insider knowledge of SBM Offshore's systems.

Prologue: Setting the Stage

Based on annual reports (2022–2024), public presentations (AVEVA UC 2022), press releases (Cognite, Oct 2025), and technology partnerships (Microsoft CoE, March 2025), this evaluates SBM's current data architecture and proposes a target state on Microsoft Fabric.

"Quality is a daily challenge. Data governance is key on the digital journey." — Anisio Pamplona, SBM Offshore, AVEVA User Conference 2022

Chapter 1: The World of SBM Offshore

SBM Offshore N.V. is a global leader in floating production solutions for the offshore energy industry. Key metrics (2024): 22 FPSOs, 403.8 cumulative contract years, €3.0B+ revenue, global presence in Brazil, Guyana, Angola.

Chapter 2: Current & Future Architecture

Evidence-based integration patterns: AVEVA PI → ADLS Gen2, Cognite CDF → Azure, IFS ERP → Azure Data Factory, Power BI → ADLS Gen2. Proposed target: Microsoft Fabric with medallion architecture (Bronze → Silver → Gold) on OneLake.

Chapter 3: Data Mesh — The Next Step

How Zhamak Dehghani's 4 Data Mesh principles map to SBM Offshore: domain ownership, data as a product, self-serve platform, and federated computational governance. Fabric provides the unified platform; Data Mesh provides the organizational model.

Chapter 4: See It in Action

The working prototype demonstrates: domain ownership, data products with contracts, cross-domain lineage, governance assessment, and an interactive marketplace.

Sources & References

  • SBM Offshore Annual Report 2024 (pp. 32-36, Digital Strategy)
  • SBM Offshore Annual Report 2023 (pp. 34-38, SBM+ Platform)
  • SBM Offshore Annual Report 2022
  • AVEVA UC 2022 — Data Governance Journey (Anisio Pamplona)
  • Cognite Press Release, Oct 2025
  • Microsoft CAF — Data Mesh on Azure
  • Microsoft Fabric Documentation
  • Microsoft Purview Documentation