Offshore Wind (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Offshore Wind: A Comprehensive Guide to Successful Offshore Wind Farm Installation 4
Copyright 5
Dedication 6
Contents 8
Preface 14
Why Do You Need This Book? 14
Who Should Read This Book? 15
How Does the Author Feel about Wind Farms? 15
What Can You Get Out of This Book? 16
Acknowledgments 20
About the Authors 22
Chapter 1: What Is an Offshore Wind Farm? 24
Monopile 26
Gravity Base 26
Tripod 27
Jacket 28
Chapter 2: Obtaining Permits for Wind Farms 32
The United States 32
Offshore Wind Potential 33
Permits for the Outer Continental Shelf 33
Obtaining Permits for State Waters 34
Obtaining Permits for the Great Lakes 34
Offshore Planning 34
Federal Planning 35
State Planning 35
Requests for Proposals 37
Federal Permitting 37
The Permitting Process 39
State, Regional, and Local Permitting 39
Stakeholder Outreach 40
The United kingdom 40
Offshore Wind Potential 40
Offshore Planning 41
Offshore Leasing 42
Permitting and Consenting 43
Additional Industry Support 44
Germany 44
Offshore Wind Potential 44
Governmental Permitting 45
State Permitting 46
Offshore Wind Standing Committee 46
Other significant offshore wind markets 46
Chapter 3: Project Planning 50
Project Strategy Outline 50
Organization 51
Metocean Conditions 51
Seabed Conditions 51
The Turbine 52
Health, Safety, and Environmental Compliance with Permitting 52
The Project Execution Plan 55
Start of Production 60
The Logistics Setup 61
Form of the Contract 61
Project Options 62
Do It Yourself 63
EPIC Contracting 63
Tender and Contract Strategy 65
Quality Assurance AND Quality Control Requirements 67
Human Resources for Installations 68
Chapter 4: The Basic Organization 74
Sales 75
Identify Projects 75
Tender Projects 75
Prepare Contracts 76
Negotiate Terms 76
Hire Sub Suppliers 77
Prepare Documentation for Project Planning and Execution 77
Specify All Products and Services 77
Specify Interfaces 77
Planning 78
Design Equipment for Project 78
Plan the Process of Project 79
Design and Plan Facilities and Specify Equipment 79
Specify Certification and Other Means of Documentation 79
Perform Due Diligence on Methods Prior to Start 79
QA and HSE 80
Define Interfaces and Requirements 81
Compliance of Project 82
Risk Assessment 83
Hazard Identification 83
Working Procedures 84
Supplier Assessments 84
Training of Personnel 85
Project Management 85
Project Due Diligence 85
Contract Sub Suppliers 86
Build and/or Buy and Implement All Equipment and Services 86
Set Up and Manage Site 87
Load Out and Installation of Turbines 88
Documentation of All Work 88
Coordinate QA/HSE Work 89
Service Department 89
Technical Management 90
Chapter 5: Project Preparation 96
Define Project Parameters 96
Contracting Products and Services 98
Developing Project HSE Plans and Procedures 99
Developing QA/QC Plans and Procedures 100
Determining Methods and Required Equipment 101
Defining the Balance of Plant 102
Creating the Final Project Time Schedule 103
The Choice of Equipment 103
The Turbine Type 104
Installation Time 104
Necessary Weather Window 104
Onsite Metocean Conditions 105
Distance and Navigation Time 105
Auditing the Contract Suppliers 106
Implementing Plans and Procedures for Suppliers and Contractors 107
Preparing On- and Offshore Construction Sites 108
Security 108
Ground Preparation 109
Piers and Waterfronts 109
The Seabed in the Port 110
Chapter 6: Project Execution 116
Auditing 116
Necessary Documentation 116
Certificates 116
Operation Manual 117
Project-Specific Method Statement 117
Health, Safety, and Environmental Plan 118
Working Instructions 118
General Condition Surveys 119
Fuel and Lube Gauging 119
Special Equipment 119
Project Startup Sequence 119
Shore-Based Preparations and Progress 120
Offshore Site Preparations and Progress 121
Seabed Scan 122
Cone Penetration Test 122
Core Drillings 122
Monitoring the Activities 124
Project Management Setup 125
Chapter 7: Interface Management 132
The Main Interfaces and Accompanying Responsibilities 132
Contracting to an EPC Contractor 138
DIY or Multicontracting 139
The Economy 140
Interfaces and Handover Documents 140
Chapter 8: Health, Safety, and Environmental Management 156
Why Health, Safety, and Environmental Management Is Important 156
The Most Important Single Activity in a Project 157
The Health, Safety, and Environmental Organization 157
The HSE Documentation Structure 158
Monitoring and Reporting 160
Auditing and Correcting Actions and Methods 161
The HSE and National Authorities 162
Chapter 9: Work Vessel Coordination 166
Organization Setup and Functions 166
VTTC Rules and Regulations 168
The Operations Center and the Work Carried Out 168
Traffic Coordination 169
Traffic Control 169
Guard Vessel 170
Organization of Surveillance 170
Chapter 10: Logistics Solutions 174
Chapter 11: Commonly Used Installation Methods 180
Foundations 180
Gravity-Based Foundations 180
Installing Gravity-Based Foundations 181
Monopile Foundations 182
Jacket Foundations 184
Installing Jacket Foundations 187
Tripod Foundations 187
Installing Foundations 188
Transport for Foundation Installation 191
Securing Installed Foundations 193
Important Things to Consider 193
Harbor 194
Loading 194
Transport 194
During and after Departure 194
Installation Offshore 194
Positioning the Vessel and Wave and Current Conditions 195
Pros and Cons of the Different Methods 196
Chapter 12: Vessels and Transport to Offshore Installations 208
Types of Vessels 208
Self-Propelled Jack-Up Vessels 209
Tug-Assisted and Self-Positioning Jack-Up Barges 209
Floating Equipment 210
Tradeoffs When Choosing a Particular Vessel 211
Example Vessel 211
Assessing Equipment 214
Basic Information 215
Type of Ship 215
Options 215
Ship Owner: Contract Partner, Vessel Operator 217
Use 217
Loa: Meters in Length 218
Beam: Width of the Vessel 218
Height 218
Maximum Draft 219
Operations and Bookings 219
Charter Costs 219
Minimum Charter Period 220
Mobilization and Demobilization Costs 220
Loading Capacity 221
Maximum Payload 221
Maximum Deck Area 222
Deck Area Shape and Layout 223
Preassembly 223
Open and Closed Deck Availability 224
The Lifting (Jack-Up) System 225
System or Type 225
Lifting Speed 226
Carrying Capacity 226
Number of Legs 227
Spudcan 227
Maximum Penetration Depth 228
Propulsion and DP Systems 228
Propulsion System 228
Specifications 229
Performance 229
Service Speed 229
Crane Types 230
Maximum Lifting Capacity 230
Lifting Radius 231
Payload 231
Maximum Wind Velocity 232
Transit Mode 232
Maximum Wave Peak Period 232
Needed Visibility 233
Transit Velocity 233
G-Forces Transmitted to Payload 233
Jacking Up and Jacking Down 234
Significant Wave Height 234
Maximum Wave Peak Period 234
Wind Velocity 235
Current Velocity 236
Needed Visibility 236
Lifting (Jacking) Speed 236
Maximum Water Depth 237
Type of Seabed 237
Waiting on Weather 237
People Transfer and Accommodations 238
Vessel Access to Wind Turbines 238
Installation Speed 239
Installation Envelope per Year 239
Summary 239
Chapter 13: Basic Information about Ports 244
Characteristics of the Ideal Port 244
Project Ports and How They Perform 244
Transport to and from the Port 245
A Port's Impact on the Project 245
Size and Layout of the Ideal Hub 246
Combination of Vessel and Port 247
Operation and Maintenance 248
Chapter 14: Project Criteria 252
Offshore Access Systems 252
Waves 254
Wind 255
Currents 256
Chapter 15: Transporting Wind Turbines 260
Types of Transport Vessels 262
Monohull Vessels 262
Catamarans 263
SWATH Vessels 263
Liftboats 264
Transfer Systems 268
Available Systems 268
Offshore Access System 273
The Ampelmann 273
Chapter 16: Deployment Strategies 278
Shared Access to Offshore Equipment 279
Using Helicopters 280
Additional Safety 282
Cost Model 282
Future Trends in the Service Vessel Industry 283
Crew Vessel Selection Criteria 283
Basic Information Relating to Crew Vessels 286
Type of OAS 286
OAS Owner 286
Country 287
Trading Distance 287
Fuel Consumption 287
Use 287
General Parameters 288
Beam or Width 288
Length 288
Transit Speed 289
Wind Speed (Limit) 290
Significant Wave Height 290
Weather Limits 290
Anchoring or Mooring System 291
Loading Capacity 291
Operations/Bookings 291
Waiting on Weather 292
Personnel Transfer and Accommodations Offshore 292
Chapter 17: Repairing Offshore Wind Farms 296
How Does It Work? 297
Chapter 18: Environmental and Other Issues 300
Protecting the Environment 300
Waste Management 302
Pollution Issues 305
The Working Environment 308
Piling Noise 309
Cofferdams 312
Proposed Method of Installing Cofferdam Foundations 315
Installing Monopiles Using a Cofferdam 316
Installing Anchor Piles Using a Cofferdam 318
Conclusions About O& M Transport Systems
Vessels 322
Transfer Systems 323
Recommendations 324
Final Thoughts 328
Index 330