How to streamline geophysical and geotechnical surveys for offshore wind site investigation

The rapid growth of offshore wind depends on one critical step: accurate and efficient site investigation and characterisation. Before any turbines are installed, developers must understand the physical and environmental conditions of the seabed. This is where geophysical and geotechnical surveys come into play.  

When effectively coordinated, these surveys reduce project risk, accelerate timelines and deliver better decisions. But when disconnected or siloed, they can lead to delays, duplication of work and higher costs.  

So, how can offshore wind developers streamline geo-services to deliver optimal results?  

The benefits of integrating geophysical and geotechnical surveys for offshore fixed and floating wind project timelines 

Geophysical and geotechnical site characterisation surveys, essential for understanding the properties of the soil, are typically commissioned separately. However, this can lead to unnecessary project overruns and escalating costs. Tackling these obstacles requires planning and a proactive approach. 

Competition between developers in the offshore wind industry is fierce, and the government’s capacity to also process permits is not getting any faster; therefore, there are bottlenecks in the development process. Developers need to be ahead of the curve and put themselves at the front of the queue for government approvals and permits. 

To streamline the early phase of development and achieve a high volume of data insights quicker, geophysical and geotechnical surveys can be commissioned together rather than individually. With only a few large providers able to deliver combined geophysical and geotechnical services to meet offshore wind developers’ needs, competitively priced seabed site characterisation services are in high demand. 

A streamlined approach and early engagement provide value to the procurement process. A campaign where the developer tenders for geophysical and geotechnical services together results in a significantly reduced timeframe for the completion of the site investigation phase. A one-year consolidated campaign, as opposed to one year for each phase, can be achieved, thereby significantly reducing lead times. Remote services help to further compress the schedule and accelerate the processing phase. 

Acteon’s model, incorporating soil sampling and geophysical methods, enables the geophysical, geotechnical and environmental surveys to be completed in succession within the same year. This approach is particularly appealing to developers in regions, such as the UK, where the surveys are not conducted by the Government, meaning they need to commission their own to obtain the data they require. 

Innovative survey solutions to deliver proprietary quality data at lower rates 

The offshore wind market has followed an established model (one developer – one site – one proprietary survey) for years. However, in certain circumstances, significant economies of scale can be achieved when adopting an alternative business model. 

At Acteon, we have demonstrated the efficacy of pre-auction multi-client surveys, and post-auction group shoots. These allow the developers to improve the quality of their investment decisions and accelerate the return on their investment. The survey is also significantly more cost and carbon efficient than a standard proprietary survey as the cost of the campaign is shared between neighbouring sites with one mobilisation and demobilisation fee, fewer line turns and less downtime due to adjacent crew operational interference. 

Through a pre-auction multi-client model, Acteon can approach governments early to secure the permit to conduct the surveys,and then license the data to developers at competitive rates. This allows the developers to make informed strategic decisions before a development license has been obtained. 

Through a post-auction group shoot a collaborative approach between developers can be taken to share costs, reduce vessel time, and carbon footprint. This approach is encouraged by governments in many places and is being used in Germany, a country where the Government is commissioning surveys of only a limited number of new sites. This model could be rolled out further in Europe, the USA, and beyond. 

What makes a multi-client model work? 

• Stable government regulation
  • A clear path to permits to monetise the investment
  • Customer confidence in return on investment
  • Clear regulations regarding data ownership and confidentiality.
• Time
  • For a true multi-client business model, there needs to be enough time between the announcement and closing of a license round to allow for the of a site investigation survey, especially in large areas
  • UTEC, Acteon’s Geo Services business line, needs enough time to acquire the survey and deliver data to customers for use before bidding. 

The model gives developers a head start catapulting them to the financing and construction phase. Achieving efficiencies early on makes all the difference when considering the whole development lifecycle. 

Challenging oil and gas convention 

Developers often find it challenging to find suitable vessels to utilise for geotechnical surveys and struggle with the personnel expertise to conduct the work, sometimes resulting in multiple sub-contractors and interfaces. Acteon, with its expertise in both geophysical and geotechnical investigations, has the engineers, equipment, and chartered vessels ready to carry out surveys in key regions under a single contract offering the benefit of crucial time and carbon footprint efficiencies. 

For example, UTEC can provide their Portable Remotely Operated Drill (PROD), which enables high-quality data samples in the most challenging conditions, even in proximity to existing platforms, pipelines, or seabed-based structures, and across complex ground conditions and steep slopes. The results validate or reduce the conservatism in designs, minimising foundation dimensions and resulting in significant cost savings. 

One of our customers is already taking advantage of an integrated survey approach and is using the data obtained through combined surveys to build up a detailed picture of the sites, identifying seabed features and potential hazards, and feeding into a model of the seabed. The data will also be used to refine the site boundaries and guide decisions on turbine layouts and the design of the foundations and moorings. Read more here. 

Just because surveys, incorporating water depth considerations, have traditionally been commissioned in a particular way, does not necessarily mean it has to be done that way for the future of offshore wind. Let us challenge convention, achieve efficiencies, and kickstart projects together.