Major Geotechnical Contract Awarded in Offshore Wind Industry
Fugro Geoconsulting, UK, has been awarded a contract for one of the largest seabed investigation campaigns in the history of the offshore wind industry by DONG Energy. Worth GBP13 million, the contract covers geotechnical investigation work in preparation for Hornsea Project One, scheduled to go into operation by 2020 when it will become the world’s first gigawatt-scale, far-from-shore wind farm.
Fugro plans to use two of the largest and best-equipped geotechnical vessels available on the market - MV Greatship Manisha and MV Bucentaur - to undertake the investigation work which will begin this month. The vessels will undertake seabed cone penetration testing and borehole drilling as part of the detailed site investigation. Subsequent soil testing at Fugro Geoconsulting’s laboratory facilities will also support development of the project infrastructure at this site.
The park is located 120 kilometres off the Yorkshire coast and, when completed, will be able to meet the electricity needs of around 800,000 UK homes.
Hornsea Project One is a joint venture between SMartWind - a consortium of Mainstream Renewable Power and Siemens Project Ventures - and DONG Energy. Currently awaiting a development consent decision, Hornsea Project One is one of three projects for which DONG Energy was awarded Financial Investment Decision Enabling Contracts for Difference by the Government in April 2014.
Image: MV Bucentaur.
