Introduction to Site Investigation for Offshore Renewable Energy Projects

Instructor:	Zach Westgate (University of Massachusetts Amherst), Andrew Hill (BP)
Language:	English
Level:	Foundation
Duration and formats:	2 days

Course Description

This course will provide participants with a comprehensive introduction into offshore renewables and the critical role integrated site investigation has in delivery of these projects. Participants will be introduced to the engineering components, scope and scale of offshore renewables projects, with special focus on offshore wind, to understand the relevance of site investigation to project delivery and long-term operational integrity.

The course will discuss the stages in delivery of a site investigation: pre-license screening, the Desk study, Hydrographic and Geophysical data acquisition design and delivery, development of an initial Geological model, fundamental Geotechnical engineering principles, acquisition and laboratory analysis of a geotechnical sampling campaign, conversion of a Geological Model to an engineering ground model, turbine and structure micro-siting, cable routing, landfall studies and final site verification.

The participant should leave the course with a clear idea on the role of the geoscientist and geotechnical engineer in an offshore renewables project.

For non-experts attendance at the course will provide understanding of fundamental concepts allowing their full participation in the post course workshop. In order to participate in this course therefore, no real knowledge of offshore renewables is required. A basic understanding of hydrographic, geophysical and geotechnical methods is advantageous but not required, as the course will set out to provide the fundamentals of these subjects.

Course Objetives

Upon completion of the course, the participants will be able to:

1

Better understand the process and the steps of an integrated site investigation for an offshore energy development.

2

Have a clear understanding of the role of the geophysical, geological, geotechnical and other associated site investigation studies in this process to deliver a calibrated ground model for foundation engineering.

3

Understand what the fundamental factors are in determining the final design and layout of an offshore wind farm from the site investigation standpoint.

Course Outline

Upon completion of the course, the participants will be able to:

Day 1

1. Introduction to Integrated Marine Site Investigation

What are the objectives of Integrated Marine Site Investigation
Fundamental differences to Oil and Gas Projects
Scope and Scale of Offshore Wind Projects
Blank page to Calibrated Engineering Ground Model

2. Offshore Renewable Basics

· Overview of Offshore Renewable energies: Wind, Solar, Wave and Tide

Differences in types of structures (fixed, floating) and foundations
Implications to site investigation scope
Cable Routing (export versus inter-array) and Landfalls
Installation vessels

· Focus on Offshore Wind:

Licensing processes
Permitting and Licensing

3. Site Screening and Desk Studies

· Screening fundamentals

· Desktop studies

Identifying Geohazard Risk Sources and Uncertainties

· Development of an Outline Geological Model

· Defining initial site investigation data needs

Reconnaissance surveys, benthic/environmental sampling
Detailed site investigation

4. Hydrographic and Geophysical Data Collection I (60 min, TBC)

· Survey Design

Line Spacing and Coverage
Fundamental hydrographic and Seismic Imaging Issues

o Resolution: Vertical and Spatial

· Vessel Choice

o Ships, USBs, AUVs

Positioning:
Coordinate Systems
Vertical Reference Datums
Surface and subsea positioning systems

5. Hydrographic and Geophysical Data Collection II

· Survey system selection: what is needed?

Bathymetry
Seabed Features and UXO Imaging
Surficial Soils Imaging
Deeper Soils Imaging
2D or 3D imaging?

6. Initial Interpretation Outputs I

· Seabed Features Mapping

Development of the Project GIS
Geomorphology
Anthropomorphic issues

o Infrastructure

o Archaeology

o UXO

7. Initial Interpretation Outputs II

o Soils Mapping

System Integration
Seismic Facies
Surface Mapping
The Soils Province and Geologic Model

8. Preliminary engineering ground model

Geological model calibration
Soil unitization and stratigraphy

Day 2

1. Geotechnical survey planning

· Vessel configurations

Drillships
Jack-up barges

· Survey stages (BOEM)

Reconnaissance surveys
Detailed site investigation

· Site investigation coverage

Turbines and anchors
Substations
Cable routes

2. Geotechnical sampling systems

· Downhole mode

· Seabed mode

· Sampling techniques

Grab samples
Box cores
Piston or gravity cores
Vibrocores
Rock cores

· Sample disturbance considerations

3. In situ testing methods

· Cone penetration testing

· Seismic cone testing

· Dissipation tests

· Full flow penetrometers

4. Geological and geotechnical laboratory testing

· Geological testing

Age-dating
Micropaleontology studies
Microstructure analysis

· Geotechnical testing

Index testing
Advanced testing
Physical model testing

5. Detailed engineering ground model development (60 min, Maarten Vanneste)

· Soil unit parameterization

· Statistical analysis and uncertainty

· Machine learning applications

· Geotechnical design basis (foundation specific considerations)

6. Foundation screening analysis

· Use of code scripting

· Foundation selection

· Batch analysis of foundation sizing

7. Micro-siting

· Foundation optimization

· Additional site investigation (geophys and/or geotech)

Seismic
Site-specific BH

More information coming soon!