Subsea Micropiles has signed an agreement with Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm to develop anchor and seabed investigation solutions aimed at reducing project costs and risks. The collaboration also provides a framework to explore potential opportunities across Copenhagen Offshore Partners’ wider international portfolio.
The agreement was signed at Subsea Micropiles’ Montrose facility on 28 September during a visit by First Minister John Swinney. It covers site investigations, anchor design, advanced cyclical loading analysis and offshore installation.
Derek Robertson, CEO of Subsea Micropiles, said: “Floating offshore wind needs to find ways to reduce cost and better manage risk, and that requires us to look at the full picture. Delivering an optimised anchor solution requires that we understand the seabed in greater detail and have a scalable industrial solution to support installation.”
Site investigation will form a key part of the work, with Subsea Micropiles applying its zonal survey approach to build a fuller understanding of ground conditions and inform anchor design. The company says its Acoustic Zoom® technology provides high-resolution volumetric imaging below the seabed, helping bridge the gap between conventional geophysical surveys and point-specific geotechnical investigation.
In Case You Missed It:
Richard Copeland, global head of floating wind at Copenhagen Offshore Partners (COP) and project CEO of Pentland Floating Offshore Wind Farm, said: “That’s why we’re really pleased to sign this agreement with Subsea Micropiles, an innovative Scottish company developing technology that could help address some of the key challenges facing floating wind. We want the benefits of floating wind projects like Pentland to extend well beyond the project itself – supporting Scottish businesses, strengthening domestic capability and creating expertise that can serve a growing global industry.”
COP is leading development activities for Pentland, where Stiesdal Offshore’s TetraSub concept has been selected as the floating foundation technology. Once constructed, the wind farm is estimated to provide enough green energy for almost 70,000 homes per year, approximately 65% of those in the Highland Council area.
