Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey Now Offers Geotechnical Services (UK)

 Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey, the U.S. subsidiary of UK-based Gardline Group, has bolstered its marine data collection offerings with the addition of geotechnical services.

Working in conjunction with Gardline Geosciences, a leading global provider of geotechnical services, Alpine is adding a significant new tool to its already impressive suite of services designed to deliver one-stop data acquisition solutions for North American renewable energy, civil engineering, and oil and gas projects. Research teams will leverage Gardline Geosciences’ global experience, equipment, and data processing technologies to offer cone penetration testing (CPT), offshore heave compensated drilling, and seabed sampling for projects ranging from nearshore surveys to offshore efforts in depths up to 3000 meters.

“Gardline’s extensive experience, combined with Alpine’s localized data acquisition knowledge, relationships with state and federal agencies, and work on a wide range of high-profile marine projects, enables us to offer North American clients state-of-the-art geotechnical services,” says Andy Barwise, business development director, Gardline Geosciences Ltd. “Because we leverage decades of experience in the offshore oil and gas sector, we can also bring cutting-edge geotechnical technologies, expertise, and safety practices to the renewables market, which providers moving to offshore renewables from land-based projects can’t match.”

 “We’re excited to bring Gardline Geosciences’ suite of geotechnical services to the North American market. With these services in place, we’re able to provide the turnkey marine data collection services needed for fast-growing offshore efforts in our waters,” says Robert Mecarini, president, Alpine Ocean Seismic Survey. The suite of geotechnical offerings joins Alpine’s existing portfolio of geophysical, hydrographic, oceanographic, environmental, and positioning services.

Geotechnical services and technologies now available to Alpine clients include:

• Cone penetration testing: Provided through a choice of 16 CPT units, each designed for a specific application. These include Wheeldrive ROSON units (25 – 200kN), Neptune 5000 CPT units (10cm2 cones, 20m penetration), Neptune 3000 CPT units (2 & 5cm2 cones, 10m penetration), wireline CPT units, and T-bar and ball penetrometers.

• Offshore heave compensated drilling: Provided through seven drilling rigs for use in such applications as nearshore civil engineering projects, including wind farms; site surveys for exploration jack-ups; offshore structure studies; and geohazard evaluation. The systems use standard API steel drill pipe and can drill to 400m. Packages can incorporate a dedicated offshore soil and rock laboratory to enable realtime processing and testing of samples. Features include 3m heave compensation, Dando power swivel, 3m downhole CPT, 1m push Shelby samples, and downhole geophysics.

•Seabed sampling: Samples are captured through a range of technologies, including the Deep Water Sampler, which enables the capture of high-quality 10m samples in depths up to 2,500m; high-power vibrocorers and specialty vibrocorers that maximize sample recovery in deep-water soft soils as well as in denser shallow-water sands and gravels; piston corers suitable for all water depths; box corers for sampling surface soils with minimal disturbance; and a range of hydraulic clamshell grabs for obtaining bulk samples.

“We have a complete suite of tools designed to meet the water depths and ground conditions of any offshore project,” says Eric Zon, managing director, Gardline Geosciences. “Our full range of geosciences solutions, coupled with Alpine’s extensive geophysical, environmental, and oceanographic services, ensure clients get the accountability and cost benefits that come from working with one provider rather than multiple contractors.”

Depending on project parameters, drilling rigs can be mounted on dedicated geotechnical or multi-role vessels from Gardline’s and Alpine’s global fleet, which range from DP deep-water vessels to shallow-draft boats for nearshore work, as well as on client-provided vessels and floating barges around the world.

 Offshore Projects Demand Best-in-Class Geotechnical Engineering

Geotechnical services — integral to renewable and civil engineering projects to determine optimal placement of offshore infrastructure — are in increasingly high demand as projects ramp-up in North American waters. Alpine’s decades of work in complex marine projects, coupled with Gardline Geosciences’ experience delivering geotechnical services for offshore projects around the world, ensure clients avoid the pitfalls encountered by less-experienced providers in the burgeoning offshore renewable energy market. Through these services, Alpine offers North American project developers an appealing value proposition that leverages economies of scale, data collection efficiencies, and the sophisticated equipment and technologies needed to capture high-quality geotechnical data.

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Offshore WIND staff, December 14, 2011; Image: alpineocean