Geotechnical Investigation Contract Awarded for 3 GW Scottish Floating Wind Project

September 20, 2023, by Nadja Skopljak

Geoquip Marine has secured a contract to gather engineering data to support a proposed floating offshore wind project in Scotland that is being developed by ScottishPower and Shell.

To support the MarramWind project, Geoquip Marine is set to perform a complete geotechnical investigation to gather soil and geotechnical data for developing an engineering ground model.

According to the company, this model is essential for feasibility studies, including the design and installation assessments of various components, such as anchors for the floating platforms, fixed foundations for the offshore substation, and inter-array cable systems.

The survey work is being undertaken by Geoquip’s vessel Seehorn and will continue into 2024 when down-hole work using one of the company’s integrated geotechnical survey vessels (IGSV) will take place.

“Floating wind will be a global gamechanger for the offshore renewables industry and we’re really excited that MarramWind could be one of the first commercial-scale floating offshore wind farms in the world,” said Richard Eakin, Project Director for MarramWind.

“It’s great to see MarramWind moving on with pace and purpose and to have Geoquip Marine on board as we undertake this vital geotechnical survey work that will inform upcoming technical studies and design activities for this exciting green energy project.”

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ScottishPower and Shell were awarded seabed rights for the MarramWind project in last year’s auction in Scotland, as well as for the 2 GW CampionWind floating wind project that will be built 100 kilometres offshore the east coast of Scotland.

Located 75 kilometres off the northeast coast of Scotland, in water depths averaging 100 metres, the proposed MarramWind project could deliver up to 3 GW of cleaner renewable energy, enough to power the equivalent of more than 3.5 million homes.