A geotechnical seabed survey which is part of development work for Ørsted’s Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm proposals will be carried out in June.
Ørsted has commissioned globally respected specialists GEO to carry out the work six to 12 nautical miles off the coast of Maughold, the area for lease granted to Ørsted by Isle of Man Government. GEO’s Connector survey vessel, which has been used to carry out similar tasks for other offshore wind farm developments around the world, will be used for the survey. Marine traffic and harbour authorities have been informed in advance. Connector is expected to arrive in IOM waters on June 20th. Depending on the weather, the survey is expected to take six to eight days to complete.
The survey will test areas of seabed to determine the geotechnical engineering properties of soils. A total of 20 seafloor Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) and 20 dissipation tests will be carried out. For the CPT a small cone with a diameter of around 4cm is pushed into the seabed to measure the resistance and friction of the different soil layers. The impact to the seabed is minimal as it only impacts a very small, localised area, with the seabed naturally settling back after the test is completed. GEO is a world-renowned business that has a wealth of experience in working to the highest international standards and industry best practice, including taking steps to minimise the impacts on marine life and the marine environment when conducting geotechnical surveys.
Richard Watson, Technical Director for the Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm, said: “We’re delighted to be working with GEO on the next phase of seabed surveys here in the Isle of Man. Their expertise in conducting offshore surveys is respected across the global energy industry, and we have worked successfully with them on other offshore projects.”
The cost of the survey - which will be funded wholly by Ørsted - will be in the region of £2million and will add to the significant capital sum that the renewable energy business has already invested in its development proposals for what would be the Isle of Man’s first offshore wind farm. Richard Watson added: “The wind farm is of course subject to Isle of Man planning consent. However, it’s essential to gather geotechnical survey now in order to stay on track with all of the work that would be necessary to meet the proposed operational start date in 2031-2033. With this context in mind, our considerable capital investment in the project development phase illustrates the strength of our commitment to deliver the first offshore wind farm within the Isle of Man’s territorial seas.”
For full details about the Mooir Vannin Offshore Wind Farm project go to https://orsted.im/mooirvannin