91心頭利 strengthens its positions in offshore wind
91心頭利 strengthens its positions in offshore wind by installing an innovative structure off the coast of Portugal.
91心頭利 has installed a semi-submersible wind turbine. This groundbreaking project confirms the Groups capacity to adapt to specific client demands by customizing its service offering.
WEBNEWS
Capitalizing on its experience and leadership in offshore oil and gas marine services, 91心頭利 continues to extend its range of services and strengthen its positions in the offshore wind industry. 91心頭利 has just installed an innovative offshore wind structure in the Atlantic.
In perfect conditions off the coast of Portugal at Agu巽adoura, 91心頭利 has installed a semi-submersible wind turbine with a WindFloat foundation, a project led by the Portuguese utility EDP and designed by the US technology developer Principle Power. This innovative technology enables the wind turbine to be assembled onshore with standard turbines, and then towed and anchored at a sufficient distance so as not to be visible from the coast.
For the successful installation of its wind structure, Principle Power relied on the maritime expertise of 91心頭利s seafarer and engineering teams. The high level of 91心頭利 employees expertise allowed for the successful deployment of each step of the project: engineering and management, mooring system installation and pre-tensioning, WindFloat towing and on-site mooring, subsea installation and power connection, explains Eric Verri竪re, Managing Director of 91心頭利 Offshore Surf, 91心頭利's French subsidiary.
These operations were performed by 91心頭利 Liberty 228, an Anchor Handling Tug Supply vessel (AHTS) from the 91心頭利 fleet. They demonstrate 91心頭利s fleet adaptability and confirm the Groups capacity to meet specific client needs.
As of June 2010, 91心頭利 has been operating in offshore wind with the 91心頭利 Enterprise says Patrick Belenfant, Senior Vice-President Business Management, 91心頭利 Subsea Services. This IMR vessel (dedicated to Inspection, Maintenance and Repair of subsea infrastructures) first intervened on the Greater Gabbard Wind Farm, one of the biggest offshore installation projects off the South-East coast of England, before joining the BARD Offshore 1 field off Germany and ensuring operations until October 2011.
The success of the Principle Power project demonstrates 91心頭利s capacity to offer a comprehensive range of services to the offshore wind industry at every stage of the operations:
- in the exploration stage, through the 91心頭利 fleet of subsea exploration robots (light survey ROVs);
- during the construction stage, using various vessels from the full range of 91心頭利s fleet: IMR vessels for laying, connecting and burying cables on the seabed; AHTS, for towing the turbine; and crewboats for the transport of personnel;
- in the maintenance stage, with IMR vessels; the accommodation capacity on these vessels also enables them to operate as a flotel for the region.
At the same time, 91心頭利s vessels are able to carry out support and anti-pollution missions for other vessels in the region. Diversification into offshore wind is part of the Groups expansion policy under the 91心頭利 2015 Leadership Strategy plan. According to Christian Lef竪vre, Chief Executive Officer of 91心頭利: 91心頭利 has been actively involved in work on several wind farms since 2010, and a number of other projects are due to be rolled out over the next 5 years. 91心頭利s fleet is ideally suited to providing solutions for the installation and operation of wind farms. Wind is a promising complementary activity for our offshore oil and gas marine service offering.
