PKN Orlen commenced the main stage of geotechnical surveys of the Baltic seabed
20:34
PKN Orlen has started the main stage of geotechnical surveys of the Baltic Sea seabed in the area of the planned wind farm and the connection route, the company said. The research will involve 12 specialized units, and the completion of the research, planned later this year, will allow for the development of a detailed foundation plan for the turbines and offshore substations and their connection to the onshore transmission infrastructure.
“We want to start construction of the offshore wind farm as early as 2023. This is a pioneering investment that will not only change the face of the Polish power system but will also allow us to acquire new competencies in the area of large-scale zero-emission projects. Geotechnical studies are an extremely complex process involving dozens of high-class specialists and technologically advanced equipment. Their finalization will allow us to develop a detailed technical design that is optimal for the project’s schedule and economics”. - said President Daniel Obajtek, quoted in the release.
The geotechnical surveys, which are beginning, will take from about 12 to about 16 weeks, depending on weather conditions. During that time, a total of 12 specialist vessels will set sail from several ports, operating both in the area of the offshore wind farm and along the route of the offshore part of the power connection. In the area of over 130 km2 of the wind farm, the vessels will be deployed to drill boreholes up to the depth of several dozen meters. A similar scope of works, adjusted to the specificity of the investment, will be performed on the over 30 km long offshore route of the cable connection, leading energy from the sea to the receiving station on land, it was informed.
On the basis of the data gathered in the course of drilling and sounding as well as their subsequent analysis, the designers will prepare, among others, the final plan for the placement of wind turbines, their support structures, or the arrangement of cables on the farm and the power output route. The surveys of the farm’s seabed are carried out on behalf of Baltic Power by the British company Gardline Limited. Measurements along the connection route are the responsibility of Polish company Mewo, and the certification process of the final offshore wind farm project according to international IECRE standards is to be carried out by DNV, the company said.
Construction of the offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea is one of PKN Orlen’s key development projects in line with the company’s strategy to invest in low- and zero-emission generation sources. The work on the development of offshore wind energy is carried out by Baltic Power, which holds a license for the construction of wind farms with a maximum total capacity of 1.2 GW. The project is implemented in partnership with the Canadian company Northland Power, which has acquired a 49% stake in the project.
PKN Orlen Group manages six refineries in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Lithuania. Its consolidated sales revenue reached PLN 86.2 billion in 2020. The company has been listed on the WSE since 1999.
