Fugro has commenced marine site characterisation works for Horizon Nuclear Power at the proposed Wylfa Newydd power station site on the Isle of Anglesey, UK.
The detailed works are being carried out during July and August and will assist Horizon to gain a better understanding of the geological conditions offshore the proposed site.
Two jack-up barges from Fugro’s fleet have been mobilised to conduct high quality geotechnical drilling and sampling operations on 36 borehole locations, in varying water depths. Taking place around 500 metres out to sea at Porth-y-Pistyll, and more than 800 metres from the Cemlyn Bay nature reserve, the work will support Horizon’s proposal to build its cooling water intake structure, marine offloading facility and breakwater. It will also allow Horizon to reduce the volume of road haulage by bringing in many of the bulk materials and large components needed during construction, by sea.
Fugro’s jack-up barges are equipped with a wide range of data acquisition tools including cable percussion, rotary coring, geophysical logging and cone penetration testing. Each unit also has RIB support craft, crane, drilling fluid system, welfare facilities and Fugro’s own state-of-the-art access/egress system.
“Our extensive experience in high profile, complex environmental projects equips us to meet the challenging tidal, seabed and metocean conditions we encounter at this site,” said Matthew Chappell, Fugro GeoServices’ Nearshore Geotechnics Manager. The simultaneous operations, core logging process and crew transfers are run by Fugro’s onsite management and geotechnical teams.
Charlie Tasker, Site Development Director at Horizon Nuclear Power, commented, “Although we’ll be working 24 hours a day, we’ll ensure the work doesn’t cause any inconvenience to local people or tourists by keeping lighting and noise to an absolute minimum.”