Collection of meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) data plays a vital role at different phases of offshore wind farm projects ranging from early feasibility studies to engineering design and construction phases, as demonstrated by two recent contracts won by Fugro GEOS, for UK Round 2 and 3 projects.
Seagreen Wind Energy has recently awarded Fugro GEOS a contract for an oceanographic survey of the zone designated for the Firth of Forth Round 3 Offshore Wind Farm.
“We are very pleased to be working with Seagreen Wind Energy on this six-month study. The resulting data will be used for wind farm engineering design and included in the Environmental Impact Assessment for proposed wind farm developments within the zone,” explains Richard Liptrot, Fugro GEOS Project Manager. “The survey will include deployment of wave and current meters at locations throughout the zone over winter 2010/11.”
The oceanographic survey aims to capture storm events over the winter period, to allow harsh wind, wave and current conditions to be captured. The data set will provide a basis for subsequent comparison and calibration of longer-term hindcast metocean models of the region for use in wind farm engineering design. Survey results will also be utilised in the Coastal Processes Assessment to be undertaken as part of the Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed wind farm developments within the zone.
Oceanographic instrumentation including surface deployed wave buoys and a combination of bed-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) current meters and Acoustic Wave and Current meters (AWACs), will be deployed for one winter season from November 2010 to April 2011. The survey will also include measurement of suspended sediments. Water and sediment samples will be collected at the time each instrument is deployed, at service visits and on recovery.
Ongoing Round 2 contract
Taking services to the next level of the development process, Fugro GEOS is actively supporting the construction and installation of Round 2 wind farms through advances in buoy based delivery of real-time metocean parameters. Fugro GEOS has been supporting the installation of wind turbines at the Sheringham Shoal Wind Farm since April 2010 and will continue to support the works for a further 18-months.
Seawatch Midi buoys, which are designed to support nearshore construction, have been deployed to collect wave, temperature, salinity and current measurements. The data is being transmitted from two buoys, in real-time, to the construction vessels operating at the site location, to assist with safer working limits and providing accurate site specific data for use in the assessment of potential operational loss due to weather downtime.
[mappress]
Source: geos, January 11, 2011