TDI-Brooks concludes survey campaign near New York and New Jersey
Between January 2023 and February 2024, TDI-Brooks, a specialized company in geotechnical and offshore survey projects, conducted an extensive site investigation programme across two offshore wind blocks in state and federal waters. The projects entailed surveying over 20,000 line-kms of analogue and either single or multi-channel seismic in lease blocks and cable routes along the coasts of New York and New Jersey. Various tasks were carried out at different stages, including offshore geophysical surveys, UHRS detailed surveys, archaeological identification surveys, light geotechnical coring and benthic sampling.
TDI-Brooks utilized three survey vessels, namely the RV Brooks McCall, RV Miss Emma McCall and MV Marcelle Bordelon. The geotechnical survey involved over 150 pneumatic vibracores (PVCs) and over 150 Neptune 5K cone penetration tests (CPTs) gathered from both lease areas and along the offshore cable route (OCR). Along with multiple export cable route surveys, a reconnaissance survey covering the entirety of the lease area with 150-metre spaced survey lines was conducted, followed by a more detailed archaeological survey with 30-metre spaced lines. Survey sensors included dual-head multibeam sonar, sidescan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, UHRS seismic, single-channel seismic and transverse gradiometer (TVG), all meeting BOEM specifications for archaeological surveys.
Seabed risk assessment
The goals, determined by the collected data, were to assess the conditions of the seabed and sub-seabed, which may include potential risks (geohazards or man-made hazards) that could impact the future installation of wind turbines and subsea cables. The investigations conducted involved measuring variations in water depth and slope changes, examining the morphology (composition of the seabed and lithology in the formations below in relation to local geology), identifying any natural or man-made obstructions on or below the seabed, such as rock outcrops, channels, depressions, gaseous fluid features, debris (natural or man-made), wrecks, industrial structures, cables, etc., and assessing any shallow geohazards that could affect the sites and future deep geotechnical soil studies within the top 100 metres beneath the seabed.
Data collection plays a crucial role in determining optimal locations and designs for offshore projects such as wind farms. With the offshore renewable energy industry experiencing rapid growth, there is a high demand for TDI-Brooks’ services along both the US East and West Coasts. TDI-Brooks has indicated its continued dedication to supporting the expanding offshore wind sector and various scientific survey initiatives. Despite the strong demand for subsea services and evolving client needs, the company is well-prepared to provide a comprehensive range of offshore support services. These encompass subsea operations, construction support, exploration and production assistance, ROV and diving services, scientific marine research and survey mapping and even military support.
