Improved soil management for offshore wind – Part 1

Q. What are the primary soil-related challenges that developers face in offshore renewable energy projects?

A. There are two predominant challenges here:

1. Geotechnical frameworks and soil conditions:

• Offshore renewable projects often occur in areas outside traditional oil and gas energy basins
• Existing offshore geotechnical frameworks were primarily designed for oil and gas projects
• Unexplored soil conditions are now more common, necessitating the development of new geotechnical approaches
• Industry-standard methodologies may require adjustments to address these novel conditions.

2. Resource availability:

• Obtaining offshore geotechnical data relies on specialised vessels
• Limited availability of these vessels impacts data collection efficiency
• Onshore soil testing laboratories also play a crucial role but may have capacity.

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Is there anything that can be done through data acquisition to minimise ground condition related risk?

Understanding the complexity of ground conditions in relation to engineering challenges is crucial. Data acquisition and subsequent onshore laboratory testing should address both in-place and installation design requirements. Unfortunately, the latter often gets overlooked. For example, in installation analysis, there tends to be a greater emphasis on soil behaviour after reaching peak conditions rather than the peak conditions themselves that are utilised in in-situ analysis.

• Involving experienced design engineers in data acquisition is essential. 

• We assist our customers during data acquisition while the vessel is still in the field. This helps identify potential in-place or installation risks for foundations and allows us to recommend adjustments to mitigate uncertainties or concerns before the vessel departs the site.  

• This approach significantly reduces project and design risk while minimising survey costs. 

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