Anchor types for floating energy facilities

Tom Fulton
By Tom Fulton Published 18 Aug 2025 • Updated 25 Sep 2026

Anchor types for floating energy

Acteon uses its moorings, anchors and foundation expertise to advise floating energy facility owners and operators on the options for anchoring their floating assets.  

Whether in floating renewables or oil & gas, several variables are taken into consideration when choosing anchoring types, including: 

  • Geophysical and geotechnical properties
  • Required precision of the embedment location
  • Installation vessel capabilities
  • Type of asset and mooring system
  • Metocean conditions and environmental regulations
  • Cost and availability of mooring components 

This graphic illustrates the various anchor types and their performance in different soils and their positioning accuracy. 

Acteon has the capabilities and vast experience to design, fabricate and install all of these anchor types. 

Drag embedment anchors

Manufactured to the highest quality, the innovative range of Bruce drag embedment anchors suit most seabed conditions. These can be a practical solution for catenary type moorings. 

Suction piles and Suction Embedded Plate Anchors (SEPLAs) 

For taut moorings and soft soils, suction piles are a secure option, especially for deepwater assets. Acteon has custom-designed, fabricated and installed suction piles for hundreds of projects. 

An alternative to suction piles, SEPLAs, feature the same benefits as suction piles using as little as one-third of the material, reducing a project’s financial and environmental footprint.

Driven and drilled piles

Driven piles are the go–to solution for more challenging soil conditions. Acteon engineers specialise in developing efficient pile designs and Menck delivers the most advanced pile driving equipment in the world.  

Acteon’s latest innovation is the Flexibly Embedded Plate Anchor (FEPLA). FEPLAs combine the material savings of SEPLAs with the speed and flexibility of pile driving – either conventional impact driving or quieter vibro driving. It is the ideal solution for hard soils or projects with limited geotechnical data. 

Our drilled and grouted pile solution provides a proven solution for rock conditions, as demonstrated in the recent world-first drilled anchor installation using motion compensation in deep water. 

No matter the floating facility type or location, Acteon experts have the knowledge and track record to deliver the right anchor solution to your project.

Download our infographic

Many variables are taken into consideration when choosing anchoring options, amongst which:

  • Soil and geotechnical properties
  • Required precision of the embedment location
  • Type of asset and tension load
  • Metocean conditions and environmental regulations
  • Cost and availability of mooring components

This infographic illustrates the performance of various anchor types in different soils and their positioning accuracy.

Our anchor range

Engineered for reliability across a wide range of seabed conditions, our anchor portfolio supports FPSOs, FLNGs, rigs, floating wind and offshore infrastructure with proven solutions for demanding mooring applications. From drag embedment anchors to plate anchors and suction caissons or driven piles, we help you find the fittest mooring solution for your offshore energy project.

Mooring and anchor articles

Access more mooring and anchor insights from our experts 

Blogs

10 Sep 2026

What influences anchor selection in offshore mooring systems?

Anchor selection is one of the most important decisions in offshore mooring design. While holding capacity is a fundamental consideration, it is only one part of a much broader engineering challenge. The selected anchor can influence mooring design, installation methodology, project economics, inspection requirements and long-term system performance.

Blogs

08 Sep 2026

What happens when conventional TT fatigue analysis is no longer enough?

Many ageing FPSOs are operating well beyond their original design life. As operators pursue asset life extension and continued production, understanding the true fatigue condition of critical mooring components becomes increasingly important. Traditional tension-tension (TT) fatigue assessment remains a widely used approach for mooring analysis, but what happens when TT fatigue analysis alone no longer captures the full picture?

Blogs

18 Aug 2026

Calculate mooring chain weight, break load and proof load

Selecting the right mooring chain is a critical part of offshore mooring system design. Whether you're planning a temporary mooring spread, evaluating equipment requirements, or reviewing installation parameters, having quick access to accurate chain data can save valuable time.

Need to moor a floating asset?

Contact us to see how we can help you with the best way to moor your next project.