Fugro Completes Triton Knoll Drills

Fugro’s geotechnical drilling vessel Fugro Scout has completed a three-week programme of test drilling at the locations of the 90 turbine foundations and two offshore substations on the 860MW Triton Knoll offshore wind farm.

Investigative work at the innogy-owned offshore wind farm some 20 miles offshore Lincolnshire will provide detailed information on seafloor and sub-seafloor conditions, supporting the design of the wind farm’s monopile foundations scheduled to be installed in 2019.

The design work is also being delivered by a UK-based engineering company Atkins, on behalf of lead foundations contractor Smulders Sif Steel Foundations BV (3SF). Siemens Transmission and Distribution will engineer, procure, and construct both the onshore and offshore substations.

Operating out of ABP’s Port of Immingham on the Humber, Fugro Scout conducted borehole drillings of up to 40 metres deep. Each borehole is sampled and tested with Cone Penetration Tests (CPT) and seismic CPT, and will involve the use of a suite of wireline logging tools to further enhance the understanding of the sub-seafloor soil types (known as the stratigraphy) and their geotechnical parameters.

Health & Safety was central to the contractor being selected and the subsequent use of the Fugro Scout vessel, the developer said. Its specialist automated drill pipe and tool handling system was seen as an effective way to minimise and manage the risks associated with human interaction during offshore drilling operations.

Triton Knoll was awarded a Contract for Difference (CfD) in September 2017at a strike price of GBP 74.75/MWh.

The project is now progressing towards a financial investment decision later this summer with full onshore construction starting shortly after, and offshore construction starting in late 2019. First energy generation could be as early as mid-Q1 2021, with the project expecting to begin commissioning in 2021.