The 600-MW wind farm will provide 785,000 homes with renewable energy from 2017 onwards.
FoundOcean has successfully completed the grouting of foundations at Gemini Wind Farm on behalf of the main contractor, Van Oord.
The 600-MW offshore wind farm, situated 85 km north of the Dutch province of Groningen, is made up of 150 wind turbines and spans across two sites.
Following the continued success of FoundOcean and BASF’s collaboration, the Gemini Wind Farm project was the first to use a new grouting material, MasterFlow 9800.
Operational challenges are frequently encountered during offshore operations and, in this case, it became clear that there was a market requirement for an alternative material. Van Oord led the installation of foundations for the Gemini project, and used the MasterFlow 9800 for its unique qualities that enhance productivity and safety.
For large-scale projects such as Gemini, there is often a need for engineered grouts supplied in bulk rather than bags. These have to be effectively mixed to ensure a consistent quality.
MasterFlow 9800 high-strength grout is the result of over three years of development.
The MasterFlow 9800 grout is delivered to the foundation at much higher rates than previously seen with blended materials, resulting in reduced impact on the vessel’s critical path. Alongside its low autogenous shrinkage and excellent early strength development, the material’s ability to be supplied in bulk improves safety and productivity by eliminating the offshore lifting of bags and containers.
“FoundOcean recognized a need amongst its customers for a material that could provide high early strength development and low temperature performance, yet also offered increased efficiency, safety, and cleanliness,” explained Jim Bell, the Managing Director of FoundOcean.
MasterFlow 9800 enables the installation contractor community to reassess their procedures in offshore grouting and to consider a new way of working – one which delivers significant and quantifiable improvements in productivity and safety when grouting offshore structures.
FoundOcean
www.foundocean.com
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Projects
