Fathoms Surveying Skills Help Extend Marine Renewables Sites For Wave And Tide Electricity.

Fathoms Ltd is a long established UK based sub-sea services company and its operations have expanded to include work for such varied clients as Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd (to detect and recover radioactive particles from the seabed) and the Channel Coastal Observatory (based at the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton) collecting data to be used in a new coastal model being built to assist with coastal flooding studies.
Fathoms recently undertook two comprehensive surveys for the European Marine Renewable Energy Test Centre (EMEC) based in Orkney. The results of these surveys have enabled EMEC Ltd to extend its capabilities in the marine renewables sector, generating electricity from devices moored to the seabed.

The first survey covered two specific areas; one in Scapa Flow and the other further to the north in Shapinsay Sound. The former will be used for testing wave energy devices and the latter is more suited to tidal stream devices. Both areas required detailed and precise surveying so that designers and engineers responsible for mooring the devices could fully understand the seabed morphology and thus come up with the best mooring solutions.

Although some data was available before these surveys were undertaken, Fathoms helped the EMEC staff with the selection of the most suitable areas within the general location. This involved a considerable amount of desk-top study work with existing data and possible options. Furthermore, the decision on the choice of equipment and methodology was very much a joint one, with EMEC relying on the input and experience of the skilled Fathoms staff.

Both areas also required surveying using full geophysical methods. Fathoms completed this on time and within budget; despite some atrocious weather with force 9 gales blowing up during the surveys. One item of great relevance discovered in the Scapa Flow area was an apparent buried cable that was unknown and therefore did not appear on any published chart. This requires further investigation prior to the development of the site.

The second survey was a bathymetric survey at EMEC’s principle site off Billia Croo on the exposed west coast of Orkney. This survey was necessary in order to extend the area already covered by existing bathymetry. EMEC required as detailed knowledge of the seabed as possible - for the laying of a new cable from offshore wave generating devices to the coast.

To achieve this, Fathoms trialled R2Sonic’s new wideband multibeam echo sounder. This proved ideal for the very rocky area and provided excellent results. As a result of this survey, EMEC now has detailed knowledge of a larger area for the trialling of new electricity generating devices.

In both cases, Fathoms minimised costs to EMEC by being able to use its own vessels from its operating base in Wick and making maximum use of weather operating windows. Little wonder therefore that another recent Fathoms client responded to a customer satisfaction survey with praise for Fathoms’ “Efficiency in achieving the contractual arrangements in a timely manner; responding well to requests for adhoc work at short notice; professionalism and efficiency of conducting survey work and process of data to production of survey charts.” One good survey deserves another! www.fathoms.co.uk

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