FoundOcean, the subsea and offshore grouting specialist for the global energy construction industry, is mobilising to the Ormonde Offshore Windfarm today to commence grouting operations for a large-scale multiple jacket type foundation installation project in UK waters.
The Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm is under construction in the Irish Sea, 10km off Barrow-In-Furness. On completion, the windfarm comprises 30 RePower 5MW wind turbines, producing a capacity of 150MW, and one substation.
The 31 four-legged jackets will be placed by Scaldis Salvage and Marine Contractor NV’s Rambiz heavy lift vessel. The Swiber Else-Marie will follow Rambiz with FoundOcean equipment and personnel onboard. Grouting is scheduled to start on 24 July.
Damien Murphy, project engineer for FoundOcean, says “We’ve set ourselves tough deadlines; we intend to grout the foundations within a 60-day timeframe. Weather permitting, I’m confident that we can deliver on this.”
Grouting equipment was mobilised on the Swiber Elsa Marie from Vlissingen, Holland and personnel from Heysham. There will be a crew of four FoundOcean engineers and technicians working 12-hours a day.
“This is a milestone project for both FoundOcean and the renewables industry. Our subsea grouting expertise was earned working in the oil and gas sector where one or two jackets are installed at one time. This is the largest number of jackets to be installed in one project,” commented Keith Miller, chairman for FoundOcean.
He continued, “It’s reassuring to see that renewables companies are looking to the oil and gas industry’s experience when designing and installing turbine foundations.”