ESB launches qualification system for geophysical surveys

Ireland’s Electricity Supply Board (ESB) has launched its qualification system for offshore geotechnical surveys and is now inviting applications.

With this procedure, ESB intends to establish a qualification system to procure the scope of services pertaining to offshore geotechnical surveys for the development of its offshore wind project(s) in Ireland and the UK.

The scope of services pertaining to the geotechnical surveys is intended to provide sufficient geotechnical data to allow the characterization of the sub-seabed strata in order to refine a 3D soils model of the offshore wind farm site.

These details will be used to initiate the design of the turbine and substation foundations and to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the installation methodology. The output from the survey will directly support the subsequent Front-End Engineering & Design (FEED) activities for the site.

The qualification system may include projects developed by ESB, existing or yet to be formed ESB joint venture companies, ESB subsidiary companies or companies ESB Group has a minority interest in.

At the end of 2021, ESB’s wholly-owned subsidiary ESB Wind Development Limited applied for a license to carry out site investigations for its Sea Stacks offshore wind project.

The activities will include geotechnical and geophysical investigations, and metocean survey to gather further information on the seabed and sub-seabed conditions, geotechnical data for site characterization of the sub-seabed, and accurate wind and metocean information.