Belgium-based offshore installation services company Deme Offshore will deliver and install subsea cables for the giant Dogger Bank offshore wind farm, off the North East coast of England
Under a contract which Deme Offshore described as "substantial", the company will deliver the inter-array cables at the Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B wind farms in the UK, the first two phases of the 3.6 GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm which is the world’s biggest offshore wind farm under development. For Deme “substantial” refers to a contract with a value of EUR 150 – EUR 300 million.
"The far-reaching scope includes the engineering, procurement, construction and installation of the subsea cables for the combined 2.4 GW wind farm. Deme Offshore will supply, install and protect 650 km of 66 kV inter-array cables and all related accessories," Deme Offshore said.
Dogger Bank Wind Farm is located more than 130 km off the North East coast of England and is currently being developed in three 1.2 GW phases by joint venture partners SSE Renewables and Equinor.
Dogger Bank will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm when complete and will generate enough energy to power over 4.5 million homes every year – around 5% of the UK’s electricity needs.
Cable production in 2021
Credit: Deme Offshore
Deme Offshore said that the production of the cables for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B will start in 2021. The installation will be carried out by the DP3 cable installation vessel ‘Living Stone’.
"She was selected based on her huge cable capacity of more than 10,000 tonnes, and proven track record. This unique vessel boasts a Deme-designed dual-lane system, consisting of two cable highways – one for laying the cable and one where the next cable can be simultaneously prepared and have the cable protection system (CPS) installed," the Belgian company said.
Per Deme, the Living Stone's dual-lane system significantly reduces the time needed for preparing the cables, minimizes manual handling, increases the vessel’s workability, and ultimately, improves production rates.
Largest inter-array cable order ever
Bart De Poorter, General Manager Deme Offshore, said: “We are very proud to have been awarded this exceptional project, which represents the largest ever inter-array cable contract in the world to date. The renowned cable-laying capabilities and stellar reputation of ‘Living Stone’ were key factors in securing this important contract.”
Steve Wilson, Dogger Bank Wind Farm’s Project Director at SSE Renewables, says: “We are delighted to welcome DEME Offshore to the Dogger Bank project to undertake the manufacturing and installation of the 66 kV inter-array cables for Dogger Bank phases A and B in what is the largest ever inter-array cable order of its type. Deme, using its state of the art ‘Living Stone’ vessel, has a proven track record in delivering large inter-array cable scopes, and this experience and capability will be essential to successfully install the 650 km of cable required for Dogger Bank A and B.”
Halfdan Brustad, Vice President for Dogger Bank at Equinor says: “Dogger Bank Wind Farm is pioneering new technology, and at the forefront of scaling up significant energy infrastructure. This contract, for the largest ever order for inter-array cables, demonstrates the sheer scale of this project: when complete it will be able to generate around 5% of the UK’s electricity needs with power from the wind. The dual-lane system on the 'Living Stone' means we can reduce the time needed to install the cables, which for a project of this size greatly helps to reduce costs.”
The contract with Deme Offshore is subject to joint venture partners SSE Renewables and Equinor reaching Financial Close on Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B, expected in late 2020.
Dogger Bank Map - Credit: World Energy Report's Offshore Wind Database
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