13/12/2010

Site Investigations
g for
Offshore Wind
A multi-disciplinary approach

M ttij d
Mattijs de L
Lange

Gardline Marine Sciences Limited

My thanks to:
• Maarten Timmerman
• David Cerda Saltzman
• Sue Crothers
• Albert van der Hem
• Cliff Whatrup

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Choose a Location

Consents and Permitting considerations

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Design your layout

Turbine locations
will be defined by:
• Wind directions/yield
• Water Depth
• Geology
• Shipping Lanes
• Access to Shore
• Bird Migration Paths
• Etc.

Turbine Design considerations

hub
rotor nacelle
RNA

blade tower

offshore
platform
wind
ladder transition turbine
support
boat landing piece
structure

J-tube
mudline
power scour protection
cable scour hole
foundation
pile

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Forces on Foundations

air

wind

waves &
current sea

soil

Preliminary Site Assessment

• Review existing data and undertake a desk
study.
• Consider Pre-Existing Geological data and key
geological processes
• Preliminary met ocean conditions
• Identify geotechnical risks
• Identify areas of insufficient information
• Outline scope of survey

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Preliminary Site Assessment

Preliminary Site Assessment

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Preliminary Site Assessment

Preliminary Site Assessment

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A Cautionary Note
• No recognised guidelines on survey practice for wind farms similar to those
outlined for oil and gas by UKOOA
An up to date replacement for SUT’s OSIG 2005 guidance notes on “Site
Investigation for Offshore Renewable Energy Projects” not yet published

• Client knowledge based upon previous experience in the design of offshore

wind-farms has been very limited due to inexperience and lack of
engagement with Oil & Gas sector.
• There is always a need to minimise survey costs. Funding to do a “proper
j b” off th
job” the survey only
l approved
d after
ft completion
l ti off a fformall acceptance
t off
an Environmental Impact Assessment….
• … but survey work is required for a comprehensive EIA … archaeology,
UXO and habitat assessments

Site Investigations
• Need
N d tto ensure ffullll swathe
th b bathymetry
th t and d sonar coverage
over survey area
• Ensure sub-bottom profiler data below all probable turbine
locations (piling locations), to anticipated pile depth
• Probable need to “see” below the multiple in shallow water,
and map the refusal surface for foundation design.
(Consider the use of multi
multi-channel
channel techniques)
• Detailed shallow penetration geophysics for cable routes and
jack-up leg penetration
• Different tasks have different requirements:

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Consider what you need from your data

and / or

Survey Scope – Phase 1 - Geophysics

• D
Decide
id on th
the needd ffor a reconnaissance
i or
detailed IHO Order 1survey over the whole site
• Establish bathymetry using swathe systems
• Indentify and locate seabed hazards
• Determine geometry of subsurface layers
• Develop your scope for detailed survey or
subsequent geotechnical investigations

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The Right Survey Vessels

The Right Equipment

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The Right People

Bathymetry

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Sea Bed Features

Sub-bottom Geology

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Survey Scope – Phase 2 - Geotechnics

• Thickness and properties of seabed layers
• Complexity of the geological model
• Presence and distribution of hazardous
layers
• Variability and uncertainty in geotechnical
parameters
• Number of CPT tests vs. Number of
Boreholes

The Right Drill Vessels

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The Right Equipment

The Right People

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Geotechnical Surveys Provide

• Refined geological model
• Variation in ground conditions
• Idealised ground profile at foundation
location
• Geotechnical parameters for foundation
design
• Identification of geotechnical hazards

Geotechnical Survey Results

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Geotechnical Survey Results

Refined Geological Model

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Parameters for Foundation Design

Metocean Data

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Metocean Data

Data Integration and Reporting

Data comparison
over time

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Data Integration and Reporting

• Wind turbine suitability mapping:

Data Integration and Reporting

• 3D visualisation example with data from different sources:

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Foundation Design

• Length scour protection

mudline

• Diameter
scour hole

Foundation Design

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Foundation Design

Q
Questions
ti

Mattijs de Lange

mattijs.delange@gardline.com

Gardline Marine Sciences Limited

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