Case Study – Oracle Support Optimization – Technip Energies – Oracle ULA Certification and Third-Party Support Strategy Delivers €12M Savings Over 3 Years
Background
Technip Energies, a global leader in engineering and technology for the energy transition, is headquartered in France and operates across more than 30 countries, with over 15,000 employees.
The company delivers large-scale infrastructure and decarbonization projects, supported by a complex IT environment built around Oracle technologies.
Technip Energies had historically licensed Oracle Database, RAC, WebLogic, and SOA Suite products through an Unlimited License Agreement (ULA) to support its global operations. After several years under the ULA, the company reached the end of its term and was weighing next steps—continue spending millions annually on Oracle support or find a smarter path forward.
To navigate the ULA exit and reduce its escalating support burden, Technip Energies engaged Redress Compliance as its independent advisor on Oracle licensing.
Read how to move to Oracle third-party support.
Challenges
As the ULA neared its expiration, Technip Energies faced multiple challenges:
- Rising Support Costs: Oracle’s support bill had grown to over €4 million annually, covering a large portfolio of stable, unchanging systems. The company was paying more each year without receiving more value.
- Oracle Pressure to Renew: Oracle pushed for a ULA renewal or bundled cloud agreement, which would lock in even higher costs and long-term commitments.
- Usage Ambiguity: After years of unrestricted deployment under the ULA, it was unclear how many licenses were needed post-certification or whether any compliance risks existed.
- Internal Alignment: The finance, procurement, and IT teams had differing risk tolerances and were unsure whether alternatives, such as third-party support, were viable.
- Support Inflexibility: Oracle’s model didn’t allow for partial reductions or tiered support—everything had to be paid for at full price, regardless of whether it was in use or not.
Technip Energies needed to exit the ULA cleanly, avoid vendor lock-in, and implement a cost-efficient support model—without risking business continuity.
How Redress Compliance Helped
Redress Compliance guided Technip Energies through a structured three-phase approach:
1. Certify the ULA
2. Evaluate third-party support
3. Transition with governance and risk control
1. ULA Certification Execution
Redress began with a comprehensive analysis of the company’s Oracle license and deployment, working closely with its global IT teams. We mapped active Oracle installations, ensured that all deployments were properly documented, and prepared Technip Energies to accurately and confidently certify its ULA.
This included:
- Identifying unused or underutilized Oracle components
- Advising on how to maximize entitlements before the ULA end date
- Reviewing contracts to ensure perpetual rights would remain intact
Redress drafted the certification submission and supported Technip Energies through Oracle’s review process. The certification was completed successfully, securing perpetual licenses for the full scope of Oracle products deployed.
2. Oracle Support Optimization Strategy
With licenses in place, Redress turned attention to cost. We conducted a forensic breakdown of the Oracle support portfolio and found that more than 60% of the systems were:
- Stable, mission-critical but unchanging
- Running versions no longer require patches or new functionality
- Eligible for third-party support with no loss of coverage
We facilitated workshops across procurement, IT, and security to present cost models and service comparisons. Third-party support emerged as the optimal path forward for most workloads.
Redress helped Technip Energies assess leading vendors, compare service levels, and ensure continuity of service. We negotiated pricing, security terms, and SLA coverage, achieving a nearly 50% annual reduction in support costs for covered systems.
3. Transition Planning and Risk Governance
To ensure a smooth shift, Redress designed a phased transition roadmap:
- Technical onboarding with the third-party support provider
- Internal communications and executive alignment
- Documentation of license entitlements and deployment boundaries
- Controls for future Oracle usage to avoid accidental non-compliance
We remained involved throughout the implementation, providing compliance assurance and vendor-side advisory support during the go-live phase.
Outcome and Impact
Technip Energies achieved measurable, sustainable results:
- €4M saved in Year 1 alone, with third-party support fully operational
- €12M total savings over 3 years, avoiding Oracle’s annual increases and paying only for needed services
- Zero compliance issues, thanks to proper certification and entitlement documentation
- No drop in support quality, with faster, more tailored service from the new support partner
- Operational flexibility, enabling the IT team to control upgrades, patching cycles, and modernization at its own pace
The company redirected portions of these savings into digital transformation initiatives and cloud engineering talent—turning licensing efficiency into innovation funding.
Client Quote
“Redress Compliance delivered exactly what we needed—clarity, control, and cost savings. Their guidance during our ULA certification and transition to third-party support saved us €12 million and provided us with a more sustainable support model. It’s rare to reduce risk and spend at the same time, but Redress made it happen.”
— Global IT Sourcing Manager, Technip Energies
Call-to-Action
Still paying Oracle’s full support price for a system you barely use? Redress Compliance helps enterprises like Technip Energies cut Oracle costs while preserving compliance and performance.
Contact us today to schedule your review of Oracle support optimization.
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