Petrofac has completed the provision of risk assessment and engineering support on the two 48 km subsea cables connecting the Lincs offshore wind farm with the onshore transmission system.
Following a full assessment of the impact of external risks to the cable, such as fishing and anchor damage in areas where the seabed is mobile and comprises a mixture of sands and exposed rock, Petrofac was able to provide Lincs with a number of potential protection and repair scenarios, the company explained.
The project represents the first offshore engineering support scope that Petrofac provided for Transmission Capital’s Lincs OFTO.
Transmission Capital Partners was declared preferred bidder for the Lincs offshore transmission licence in May 2012. The company has established TC Lincs OFTO as a special purpose company to own the transmission assets and hold the transmission licence.
Mike Lee , head of asset management for Transmission Capital said: “Petrofac’s offshore experience and pragmatic approach helped us turn statistical risks into practical protection solutions for our cables.”
John McGregor Scott , development director at Petrofac said: “We’re very pleased to have had the opportunity to work with Transmission Capital. The project further demonstrates the technical capability of our subsea consultancy team and our unique expertise in addressing challenging seabed conditions.”
The Lincs offshore wind farm is located eight kilometers off the coast of Skegness and comprises 75 turbines generating 270MW, which is enough to provide clean energy to 200,000 homes.