Den Helder-based offshore service provider Bluestream has, in the offshore industry’ first, used a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to install condition monitoring and ICCP systems inside five monopile foundations on the Nordsee One offshore wind farm.
The initial intention of the client was to have the work undertaken by divers in the enclosed space inside the monopile. However, according to Bluestream, this operation could be very hazardous for the divers.
In response, Bluestream developed a technical solution according to which a specially designed installation tool was operated by an ROV, so that the condition monitoring and ICCP systems could be safely attached to the inside of the monopile, the company said.
“Thanks to the innovative combination of existing techniques, Bluestream succeeded in a very short period of time in creating a solution for the remote installation of bolts in a monopile with limited working space,” said Adriaen Winckers , responsible for Business Development at Bluestream.
Based on the investment made by Bluestream in developing this new solution, the price quoted by the company was higher than for a conventional diver-based solution.
“It is evidence of a clear sense of reality that the management of Nordsee One nonetheless opted for our smart ROV solution according to which the entire operation could be carried out efficiently, effectively and above all safely. It goes without saying that we are grateful for the confidence they demonstrated in our innovative solution and in our multidisciplinary project organisation,” Winckers said.
The 332MW Nordsee One offshore wind project is situated approximately 40km north of the Island of Juist, in German territorial waters.
With a total area of approximately 41km², the project’s 54 turbines will be located in one of the most favourable locations in the North Sea, Bluestream said. The project is owned by Northland Power Inc. (85%), and Innogy SE (15%).
Daniel Waugh, Offshore Works Package Manager at Nordsee One, said: “All systems were installed in a timely manner, as per our installation requirements, with no issues to report and without a single incident. The innovative solution they developed and the technical solutions they proposed all proved highly successful.”