FoundOcean: Grouting for UK wind farm being developed

FoundOcean is to begin a grouting operation on a large-scale multiple jacket type foundation installation project to be located within the waters of the UK. The Company is a subsea and offshore grouting specialist, which caters to the energy construction industry throughout the world.

The Ormonde Offshore Wind Farm is currently being developed in the Irish Sea, 10 kilometers off Barrow-In-Furness. Upon completion of the wind farm, it will consist of 30 RePower, five megawatt wind turbines, which will generate a total capacity of 150 megawatts, and one substation.

Scaldis Salvage and Marine Contractor NV’s Rambiz heavy lift vessel will place the 31 four-legged jackets. Additionally, the FoundOcean equipment and personnel will follow the Rambiz on the Swiber Else Marie. The grouting process is due to begin on July 24, 2010.

Damien Murphy, Project Engineer for FoundOcean, stated, “We’ve set ourselves tough deadlines; we intend to grout the foundations within a 60 day time frame. Weather permitting, I’m confident that we can deliver on this.”

Grouting equipment was assembled onto the Swiber Else Marie from Vlissingen, Holland, and personnel boarded from Heysham. A crew of four of FoundOcean engineers and technicians will be working 12 hour each day of the project.

“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.” stated 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.”