The UK’s offshore renewable market is entering an exciting new phase. Under the new Labour government, several reforms have been introduced to accelerate the growth of the sector and establish Britain as a “clean energy superpower.”
Significantly, the auction budget for new contracts has been raised to a record £1.56 billion, with £1.1 billion earmarked for offshore wind projects specifically. This represents a milestone moment for the country’s offshore renewable industry, and at SMD, we are proud to place our technology at the heart of the evolution.
INTRODUCING THE SMD PRE-LAY PLOUGH
The Challenge:
The cable-laying process represents a critical moment in any offshore wind farm installation campaign. However, planning a power cable route can present complex geotechnical challenges.
From changing soil conditions to the interference of boulders, debris and/or UXO, inconsistencies in seabed surfaces often render a single trenching tool unsuitable for an entire route. This leaves room for variations in quality of lay and depth of lowering to afford adequate cable protection and subsequently increases the risk of costly cable damage occurring.
The Solution:
Introducing our multi‐functional Pre‐Lay Plough. Engineered for maximum performance, it is available with a 150Te and 200Te tow load and represents the next generation of cable installation technology.
The SMD Pre-Lay Plough with interchangeable chassis combines three modes of operation to maximise the efficiency and consistency of trench depth and cable burial:
- Preparation – It removes surface and sub-surface boulders and performs a pre-lay grapnel run to clear a path up to 10m across the burial route. The front skid set can lift and deflect obstacles, while mould board extensions eject any boulders outside of the spoil heap zone. Preparation mode leaves an obstacle free, flat and mitigated trench route.
- Trenching – This mode creates a stable ‘Y’ shaped trench, expertly designed to minimise the risk of trench collapse and allow for cable lay directly into a pocket at the bottom of the trench for maximum protection. The pocket shape is engineered to allow a post lay jet trenching process to be conducted at a later date. Jet trenching ensures the power cable is in the pocket along the route.
- Burial – With a clear route, a final confirmation cable burial run using a jet trenching tool can now take place at maximum speed, without the risk of getting stuck. The Preparation and Trenching modes de-risk and optimise the final jet trenching burial and survey campaign. To provide maximum cover, the jet trenching tool can be used to collapse the side walls to initiate slump or the Pre-Lay Plough’s mould boards can be reconfigured to backfil the trench and completely cover the cable.
The Results:
We are proud to say that our Pre-Lay Plough is currently being used to facilitate the smooth construction of the Sofia Offshore Windfarm, part of the Dogger Bank wind project – the largest of its kind in the world.
Speaking on this, our Business Development Manager, Robert Eddon, said: “As a passionate North East business, we at SMD are delighted to be collaborating with local suppliers on a project of national significance.
“As a 1.4 GW site, the Sofia Windfarm will boost energy security and bring us one step closer to the clean energy transition. Thanks to our technology, the cable installation phase of this project is taking place as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.”
To find out more about our Pre-Lay Plough, please download our product brochure, or contact Rob Eddon.
