Fugro explores cable corridors for North Sea wind farms
Geo-data firm Fugro has completed a cable route survey to the Hollandse Kust Zuid offshore wind farm for client TenneT. The announcement follows the start of another cable route survey to the Sofia offshore wind farm.
Unexploded munition
The survey of the cable route to the Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm included the search for unexploded ordnance (UXO) from World War II or dumped in the North Sea during other conflicts.
Fugro utilised a remotely operated towed vehicle and other equipment solutions to identify over 3600 potential targets of interest. Following interpretation of these targets, over 700 potential ordnance (pUXO) targets were then investigated by Fugro’s UXO identification vessel, the Atlantis Dweller.
Once the cable route corridor was confirmed clear of UXO risk, TenneT received a final UXO clearance certificate from Fugro. Construction of the Hollandse Kust Zuid wind farm (1.5 GW), 18 km off the Dutch coast, will start in 2022.
Longest cable route survey
Early February, Fugro’s multipurpose vessel Fugro Pioneer left the Port of Sunderland in the UK to kick off a 6-month offshore site investigation and survey campaign for the Sofia offshore wind farm.
Fugro will provide geophysical and geotechnical services to energy operator innogy on a 220 km export cable corridor, in what is believed to be one of the longest cable route surveys ever performed for an offshore wind farm.
Based on a site investigation, Fugro will also produce a ground model that will provide standardised datasets and interpretation in a clearly identifiable format.
Exciting opportunity
‘For Fugro, this project is an exciting opportunity for multiple vessels and multidisciplinary project teams to work together to provide an excellent service to innogy and support the Sofia team in achieving its objectives from the outset,’ said Sally Dalrymple, Senior Project Manager at Fugro.
Construction of the Sofia wind farm (1,4 GW), 195 km off the UK coast, will also start in 2022.