Posters
Come meet the poster presenters to ask them questions and discuss their work
We would like to invite you to come and see the posters at our upcoming conference. The posters will showcase a diverse range of research topics, and will give delegates an opportunity to engage with the authors and learn more about their work. Whether you are a seasoned researcher or simply curious about the latest developments in your field, we believe that the posters will offer something of interest to everyone. So please join us at the conference and take advantage of this opportunity to learn and engage with your peers in the academic community. We look forward to seeing you there!
PO250: Risk monitoring of submarine export cables in the UK
Sophie Martin, Geoscientist, Geo-4D
Abstract
In the early days of offshore wind in the UK, the generated electricity from the turbines was transferred to shore along one, sometimes two, relatively short (10-20 km long) export cables. Over time, export cable routes have become longer and more complex, with the latest offshore wind farms typically requiring two or more export cables over 70 km in length that traverse a variety of different hazards, both natural and anthropogenic. Various approaches have been developed for appraising these hazards prior to installation, such as probabilistic cable burial risk assessments, burial assessment studies and sediment mobility modelling. In the UK however, once installed, the cables are typically transferred to a third-party Offshore Transmission Owner that is responsible for ongoing cable integrity to ensure the wind farm operator can export to the onshore grid. These third parties often take on the asset(s) without a full understanding of the acquired data, analyses, cable installation difficulties, and complexities of the site, which have a significant knock-on effect on how the cables are appropriately monitored and managed. Considering a typical 25 yr life cycle of the wind farm and associated export cables, and the complex and dynamic nature of the marine environment, a robust and consistent approach to monitoring cable risks after installation is crucial for managing these cable assets, and identifying potential issues before they result in cable downtime.
