Cable Laying Completed Ahead of Schedule

Subsea technology specialist, Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS), has successfully completed a seabed clearance and trenching scope on the Wikinger offshore wind farm in the Baltic Sea for the Prysmian Group.

The campaign over 116 days deployed ESSs SCAR1 Seabed System and dealt with extremely varied seabed and shallow soil conditions.

The route preparation phase involved thousands of boulders being cleared over a total distance of 34km covering 45 inter array routes, followed by pre-cut trenching over a length of 83km in single and multi-pass modes.

ESS was awarded the contract by Prysmian Group, one of the key contractors for the Iberdrola-owned Wikinger offshore wind farm, the 70-turbine 350MW facility, located off the German coast, which will generate enough energy to power more than 350,000 homes.
ESS technical director, Michael Cowie, said: "We are pleased to have successfully completed another seabed clearance and trenching work scope and look forward to supporting Prysmian Group on further offshore wind projects.
"Our SCAR Seabed System is now a well-proven and versatile technology which is ideally suited to the requirements of the offshore wind sector. The Wikinger project adds another successful campaign to our credentials as a provider of cost-effective cable protection services which minimises disruption to the critical path of the overall project."

The Wikinger offshore wind farm is an Iberdrola flagship project which represents a €1,400 million investment. Construction is well under way and Iberdrola has successfully installed 70 wind turbines on the open sea after laying the foundations, cables and installing the substation of the large-scale offshore complex.

David Rayner, project manager of Prysmian Group, said: "The cable laying phase of the Wikinger offshore windfarm project was completed ahead of schedule which is quite uncommon in the offshore wind market. This highlights our ability to manage turnkey inter-array projects and we appreciate the valuable contribution made by Ecosse Subsea Systems in achieving this important milestone as we progress towards project completion."


Established in Aberdeen in 1996, Ecosse Subsea Systems (ESS) is a subsea technology, equipment hire and offshore engineering consultancy, specialising in Oil and Gas, Offshore Wind, Wave and Tidal industries.

ESS designs, develops, builds, hires and operates a range of subsea equipment; our technologies cover trenching, seabed preparation and clearance, pipe-lay systems, spoolbases and ambient lifting as well as offering personnel and bespoke engineering consultancy support. Our services are flexible and can be combined and tailored to your specific project requirements.

In partnership with other innovation-led companies, Ecosse Subsea Systems has developed a range of patented technologies, with other patents pending, in pipe lay and spooling, wave energy conversion and subsea lifting.
Clients include: NKT, Bibby Offshore, BP North Sea, CNR International, Ørsted, Eon Renewables, Prysmian Group, Shell Exploration and Production, Siem Offshore Contractors and Subsea 7.

Website: www.ecosse-subsea.com

LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/ecosse-subsea-systems