Switching to LED is one of those jobs that pays for itself. Lower energy use, far less maintenance, and a big drop in the hazardous waste that comes with older lamps. But offshore, a switchover is rarely as simple as swapping like for like. Access is limited, conditions are harsh, and different types of lighting across an asset each come with their own considerations.
The good news is that a switchover is very manageable when it’s planned properly, rather than tackled fitting by fitting as things fail. Here’s how to approach it.
Why the switch is becoming less of a choice
For a long time, replacing old lighting was something you could put off. That’s changing. Manufacturers have largely stopped supporting older incandescent and fluorescent fittings, and the availability of replacement lamps is winding down, with the last of them disappearing around 2027. Once spares run out and support ends, a failed fitting simply can’t be repaired or replaced like for like.
That shifts the question from “should we switch?” to “when, and on whose timescale?” Planning the change now means doing it on your terms, rather than scrambling when something fails offshore, where a single lighting fault can mean a costly intervention.
Start with an assessment
Every good switchover starts with knowing exactly what you have. A lighting assessment across the asset should capture:
- What types of lighting are in use, and where (area, flood, linear, navigation, emergency)
- Which fittings rely on lamps that are being phased out or are no longer supported
- The condition and age of existing equipment
- Where lighting is safety-critical, and what compliance standards apply
- Which fittings are hardest to reach, and therefore most expensive to maintain
This gives you a clear picture of what needs doing, and just as importantly, what to prioritise. The fittings at height, or in the most awkward locations, are usually where LED’s low-maintenance advantage pays back fastest.
Think across all your lighting, not just one type
An offshore asset carries several kinds of lighting, and it’s tempting to treat each as a separate job. In practice, planning them together is far more efficient.
Area and flood lighting is often the first priority, as it’s essential for broad visibility during operations and frequently sits at height where maintenance is difficult. Linear lighting, the fluorescent-style fittings, tends to exist in the hundreds across a medium asset, indoors and out, and generates a steady stream of hazardous waste as tubes are replaced. Navigation and obstruction lighting has its own compliance requirements, and older incandescent-based systems are directly affected by the phase-out.
Bringing these together under one plan means fewer separate mobilisations, a consistent approach to compliance, and a single point of accountability rather than several suppliers each doing their own part.
Don’t overlook compliance
Some lighting is purely functional. Some of it, navigation aids, helideck lighting, emergency lighting, has to meet specific standards, and getting it wrong isn’t an option. Any switchover plan needs to account for the relevant compliance requirements from the outset, so the new LED equipment is specified correctly and the asset stays compliant throughout the change, not just at the end of it.
This is one of the biggest reasons to plan rather than react: a like-for-like emergency replacement made under pressure is far more likely to miss a compliance detail than a considered upgrade planned in advance.
Phase it sensibly
You rarely need to switch everything at once. A sensible switchover is usually phased, driven by a mix of priority and practicality:
- Tackle the highest-maintenance and hardest-to-reach fittings first, where LED saves the most
- Group work to make the most of any planned access windows or shut downs
- Address anything relying on soon-to-be-unavailable lamps before spares run out
- Leave newer, well-supported fittings until later phases
Phasing spreads the cost, works around operational realities, and means you’re never caught out by a fitting you can no longer replace.
The advantage of doing it all under one roof
The real efficiency comes from having one partner handle the whole thing, from the initial assessment and specification through to supply and installation.
At WES, that’s exactly how we work. We assess what you have, specify the right LED solution across all your lighting types, from Chalmit area and flood lighting to Orga IALA navigation lighting, and supply and support the change from start to finish.
Because we handle it under one roof, you get a consistent approach to quality and compliance, fewer moving parts in your supply chain, and a single point of contact who knows the whole picture.
We recently helped a worldwide oil and gas operator make exactly this switch across their drilling fleet, moving to Chalmit LED and achieving around a 50% reduction in energy used for lighting, along with significantly lower maintenance and hazardous waste.
Plan yours before it’s urgent
The best time to plan an LED switchover is before a fitting fails and forces the issue. Get the assessment done, understand what’s affected, and phase the change on a timescale that suits your operation.
If you’re thinking about making the switch, we can help you plan and deliver it, across every type of lighting on your asset.
Get in touch with the WES team to talk it through.