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Seas Geosciences is entering the second phase of investigating the seabed where the wind turbines of Med Wind, the largest floating offshore wind farm project in the Mediterranean, will be anchored.
Seas is performing the work with Renexia, a Toto Holding company active in the renewable energy sector.
Seas is using a fully automated geotechnical machine to sample and test the soils, achieving a penetration of more than 131 feet below the seabed. On the Med Wind project, this means working in water 2000-4000 feet deep. The scope of work includes the production of geo-hazard and engineering reports to support the design and implementation of the turbine mooring system and cable laying.
Paolo Sammartino, COO of Renexia, said; “Offshore floating wind power is at the heart of our green revolution, and equally important are the people and equipment that help make it happen. Our great synergy with Seas Geosciences, along with their high-performance deepwater equipment, is critical to the success of this project.”
Paolo Casciotti, President of Seas Geosciences, emphasized the importance of having specific equipment and expertise for work in the open sea and at significant depths, saying; “Our subsea geotechnical survey equipment is exceeding all expectations in terms of productivity and sample recovery in this second phase.”
Casciotti added; “Not only are we working faster than expected with virtually no down time, we are collecting excellent samples that our engineering team will be able to test and analyze.”
Casciotti said Woocheen is building a geosciences division focused on facilitating the development of clean, offshore wind power and on advancing climate science.
“Our geosciences capabilities align with the needs of offshore power projects, including comprehensive services in all environments – from land to nearshore to offshore – in both deep and ultra-deep waters,” he said.
Woocheen CEO Terry Downes said while the technology is crucial, it’s the people who drive the company’s success.
“We are focused on solving the most challenging geosciences problems on our planet, and we’re doing that by finding the most talented people in the world and creating a work environment where they can thrive,” Downes said.
Med Wind will be built gradually in several stages and, when completed, will generate a total of around 9 Twh of clean energy, equivalent to the energy needs of 3.4 million households. The project is expected to contribute to the creation of local jobs during the six years of plant construction and for maintenance activities over the following 25 years. It will also lay the foundation for the creation of an industrial chain in Italy specialized in the floating offshore wind sector.
