KINCARDINE
Published: 12 December, 2018
Discover the installation of the first semi-submersible floating wind turbine in the North Sea, by Bourbon Subsea & Vryhof along the East Coast of Scotland. Visit our website to learn more: http://insights.vryhof.com/blog/video... video by: DOCK90 I maritime & offshore communication partner https://dock90.com - START TRANSCRIPT - VO1 (00:08): Scotland stands at the dawn of a new era in the production of offshore renewable energy - a floating windfarm is being installed just off the coast of Aberdeen. Quote Benoit (00:17): ‘These are the mooring line pre-lay activities related to a project called the Kincardine Project, which will eventually consist of several offshore floating wind turbines.’ Quote Yvan (00:28): ‘Many floaters have already been installed in the North Sea by the oil and gas industry. But this floater is the first semi-submersible installation for the floating offshore wind.’ VO2 (00:39): The mobilisation is performed from the Aberdeen base of Deep Sea Mooring. In its role as installation contractor, Bourbon Subsea manages all operations. Vryhof are their mooring solutions partner. Quote Clement (00:46): ‘I think we can say we offer a unique level of expertise. In the floating offshore wind market Vryhof has so far supplied most of the mooring solutions, globally.’ Quote Benoit (00:58): ‘We are currently ahead of schedule. This is due in particular to the very good collaboration with the Vryhof people.’ VO3 (01:05): The operation starts with the arrival of the floater in Edinburgh a few weeks earlier. VO4 (01:14): Once the floater is safely offloaded from the transport vessel, it is towed to Dundee for the installation of the wind turbine. Quote Yvan (01:23): ‘The fixed windfarm market will continue to grow at a steady pace for many years. But its development will slow down, because of the limitations of water depths. With a floating windfarm, there are no such limitations, we can literally go anywhere. I believe it is the future of offshore wind.’ VO5 (01:42): With the arrival of the floater in Dundee, the assembly of the wind turbine is set in motion. VO6 (01:48): Meanwhile, 100 miles north, the installation vessel chartered by Bourbon Subsea is ready to set sail to the offshore Kincardine site. Quote master (01:58): ‘We are just about to cast off and head out to the location. The weather is expected to be good for a few days yet. It will pick up a little bit towards the end of the week, but it shouldn’t cause us any trouble with the job.’ VO7 (02:17): Next morning all is ready to install the first of four anchors. Quote Thierry (02:25): ‘The operation is split into two parts. First the pre-lay and then when that is complete the WindFloat arrives on location to be hooked-up.’ ‘Green light... Action!’ VO8 (02:45): The installation tolerances on this type of job are very strict. Quote Thierry (02:49): ‘The target for placing the anchor on the seabed is tight - much tighter than working with a rig.’ VO9 (03:00): But with this experienced team, the result met all expectations. Quote ROV-engineer (03:05): ‘That’s spot on!’ Thierry: ‘Wow...’ V1O (03:14): The assembly of the wind turbine approaches its finale. Quote Christian (03:18): ‘The WindFloat technology is designed to be fully assembled at the quayside. Then you go offshore, where you have pre-installed a mooring system, so the lines are waiting for you. So, you hook up, connect to the electrical cable and you’re ready to produce, without involving massive vessels and expensive operations, as is normally the case offshore.’ Quote Joao (03:49): ‘We believe that floating offshore wind installations allow the industry to pursue the best wind recourses and dramatically reduce the costs of installations that the industry has not previously seen.’ Quote Yvan (04:11): ‘I believe next year we will be able to say that we have installed most floating wind turbines in the world. So, we want to continue to be the leader in the wind turbine installation.’ Quote Thierry (04:24): ‘Operation complete...’ Quote Clement (04:26): ‘We support the industry towards the next step, which will be larger scale wind farms.
