Drilling Vessel to Sample Virginia’s Seabed for Offshore Wind Project

Dominion Resources has announced that marine geophysical and geotechnical surveys will be conducted for the Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advancement Project (VOWTAP) in state and federal waters off the coast of Virginia Beach.

Fugro is conducting seabed surveys by using the liftboat Inez Eymard for bore work near the shore and in deep waters. Additionally, acoustic monitoring activities will accompany geotechnical surveys.

The company started the survey operations at the beginning of last month and the work is expected to be underway until mid-July.

A utility boat, Megan T. Miller is deployed at the proposed wind farm site for piezocone penetration tests (PCPTs) along the cable route.

VOWTAP project, led by Dominion Virginia Power comprises designing, developing and demonstrating a grid-connected, 12MW offshore wind facility consisting of two Alstom 6MW turbines mounted on innovative foundations. In Virginia, 1MW of offshore wind can help power up 250 homes at peak demand.

Dominion’s project schedule has the VOWTAP project becoming operational in 2017, subject to pursuing and obtaining applicable regulatory approval(s).