Report identifies maintenance opportunities for subsea firms

Titled ‘Subsea Technological Challenges in Offshore Wind’, the report from NSRI (National Subsea Research Initiative) highlights opportunities the offshore wind industry holds for UK subsea companies, with a technology roadmap outlining the way ahead with industry-driven objectives.

Global offshore wind expenditure is forecast to reach £210bn over the next decade. Around 40 percent of the typical lifecycle costs of offshore wind farm developments come from O&M requirements. Based on UK government projections for offshore wind deployment, the O&M costs for more than 5,500 turbines could be worth £2bn per annum by 2025.

Given the UK industry’s existing inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) capability, companies could break into the offshore wind market by offering individual services such as automated inspection, cable scour inspection, condition monitoring, remote monitoring, increased turbine access and risk based inspection.

These services could eventually be bundled to deliver a full life-of-field offering. It’s also believed that diverless solutions will be of growing interest as offshore wind developments move further offshore into deeper waters.