Dutch geo-data specialist Fugro NV (AMS:FUR) has won a contract to carry out offshore geotechnical site investigation for Australia’s most advanced offshore wind project, the up-to-2.2-GW Star of the South development off the coast of Gippsland, it was announced on Friday.
Over a period of five weeks, soil and rock samples will be collected from up to 70 metres (230 ft) beneath the seafloor. Fugro will use its specialist geotechnical drill vessel the Fugro Mariner for the work.
The project developer said that this is the first marine geotechnical campaign for offshore wind in Australia. It follows four years of engineering and environmental investigations on the project and is partly funded by the Victorian government through the Energy Innovation Fund.
“Knowing what’s under the seabed in this specific location helps ensure everything we do – from turbine design and placement through to construction methods – is tailored especially for this spot in Bass Strait,” commented Star of the South chief executive Charles Rattray.
The Star of the South project is backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP). It has the potential to supply a fifth of Victoria’s energy needs.
