Fugro has been awarded a major geotechnical survey contract by SSE for the Berwick Bank B offshore wind development in the North Sea off Scotland.
Berwick Bank B forms part of the wider 4.1 GW Berwick Bank offshore wind project, which is being developed in three phases and could become the world’s largest offshore wind farm if completed at full scale.
The Dutch geodata specialist said the contract covers a full geotechnical investigation campaign to support foundation design for fixed-bottom turbines planned at the Berwick Bank B site, which represents 1.4 GW of the project’s overall planned capacity.
The work includes drilling boreholes up to 50 meters below the seabed to obtain soil and rock samples for turbine foundation design.
Fugro said the campaign will be carried out using its geotechnical vessels Fugro Quest and Fugro Zenith, employing specialist coring and conventional sampling techniques suited to the site’s complex seabed conditions.
Berwick Bank B secured a long-term Contract for Difference in the UK’s Allocation Round 7 earlier this year.
“The commencement of a geotechnical investigation campaign to inform the final design of Berwick Bank B’s turbine foundations is an important milestone and demonstrates our commitment at SSE to disciplined and derisked project delivery.
“As we progress the project towards the final investment decision (FID), we are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with Fugro and look forward to delivering a safe and successful geotechnical investigation programme at Berwick Bank B,” said Gordon Rae, Geotechnical Package Manager for Berwick Bank at SSE Renewables.