Fugro has started a four-month marine site characterization campaign for Vattenfall at two large offshore wind production sites about 40 kilometers off Norfolk, UK.

The resulting Geo-data from Fugro’s geotechnical investigations will feed into the ground model for the wind farms Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas, which will have a total installed capacity of 3.6 GW, sufficient to power over 3.9 million homes.

Working from its dynamically placed (DP2) geotechnical drilling vessel Fugro Scout, Fugro performs surveys and sampling using its patented SEACALF Mk V DeepDrive cone penetration testing system at both locations, and will perform research both in situ and at the company’s soil laboratories in Wallingford, UK and Nootdorp, Netherlands.

Two projects split the site characterization work: the first will help Vattenfall refine the design of the wind turbine base engineering; the second will help Vattenfall choose the most effective cable route from the onshore substation to the turbines.

“The Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas projects are huge and complicated infrastructure projects requiring long-term planning and support from specialist service providers during their development and beyond. We are pleased to partner with Fugro on these important site investigation projects, who we can rely on to provide the necessary Geo-data for the next phase of engineering and procurement.”

Rob Anderson, project director of Vattenfall UK’s Norfolk Vanguard and Norfolk Boreas projects.

“We have been a trusted partner of Vattenfall in Europe for many years. These latest offshore wind contracts have further strengthened our working relationship, which is based not only on Fugro consistently delivering technical excellence but also on shared company values to create a safe and liveable world.”

John ten Hoope, Fugro’s marine site characterisation director for Europe and Africa.