Flotation Energy has awarded Worley with a framework agreement to provide pre-feasibility study services for the 1.5 GW Seadragon wind project off the coast of Gippsland, Australia.
The project sets out to be one of Australia’s first offshore wind sites. It will produce enough clean energy to power some one million homes and businesses across Victoria, Worley said.
Backed by funding from the Victoria State Government, the project has the potential to create over 1,600 jobs, providing a significant investment boost for the local economy and workforce.
”Australia has a long-established history in conventional energy. The Seadragon project will act as an energy transition bridge between the oil and gas and wind industries, bringing opportunities to retrain and upskill local workforces into renewables-focused roles,” said Christopher Cowland , Vice President Global Offshore Wind.
The proposed project site is located near older oil and gas platforms in the Bass Strait. This is said to offer the potential for repurposing assets no longer needed for oil and gas production to house offshore infrastructure. It will also consider synergies for the construction, operations, and maintenance phases of the offshore wind farm.
Worley’s study will propose the concept design of the overall project and provide recommendations for efficient execution. The company said it will explore the best practices for building a sustainable industry and analyze the local supply chain, ports, and harbor infrastructure.
Study development will be led from Worley’s Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane offices. The Australia-based engineering company will also draw upon expertise from its offshore wind center of excellence in Europe.
”Flotation Energy is an early entrant into the emerging Australian offshore wind market, and we’re delighted to be working with Worley to support engineering studies for the next stage of the 1,500 MW Seadragon offshore wind farm. Worley combines its extensive in-house expertise across all aspects of offshore wind with local knowledge of Gippsland and Bass Strait, which will be critical to successfully delivering the project,” said Tim Sawyer , Director at Flotation Energy Plc.
The initial study is projected to take twelve weeks, with the first power expected in 2030.