TGS has claimed that geoscience companies have a huge opportunity to acquire the seismic data that will aid the revolution in offshore wind energy in the US.
TGS has claimed that geoscience companies have a huge opportunity to acquire the seismic data that will aid the revolution in offshore wind energy in the US.
Research from the company showed that rapidly decreasing costs for building offshore windfarms would lead to some 30 GW of offshore windfarms being built off the east and west coasts of America by 2030.
‘Seismic companies have decades of data and knowledge of the geology offshore US,’ said the company. ‘Whether fixed or floating turbine solutions for offshore wind projects, seismic and other geophysical imaging techniques will play a big part in determining all constriction requirements,’ said the company in its latest ‘Insights’ article.
‘One of the greatest challenges yet to face the offshore wind industry will be sourcing the right expertise to design and build the necessary structures. This issue is particularly true when you look at the number of projects looking to be executed at the same time or within a 12-to-24-month period. The answer will surely come from the offshore oil and gas sector – especially as it has been hit so hard by the recent industry downturn – leaving a highly technical and capable workforce available to support offshore wind projects.’
TGS said that there are more than a dozen offshore projects in progress with the mid-Atlantic, stretching from New York down to Virginia, developing into the largest regional market in the US.
Between 2012 and 2018, costs were reduced by more than 60% and operators of these projects can expect consistent profit margins, it added.
In the first weeks of his presidency, Joe Biden signed a number of executive orders to combat climate change. The new orders will review the permitting process and evaluate how the US can double its offshore wind output in the coming years.
On 29 March the Biden administration designated an area between Long Island and New Jersey as a priority offshore wind zone to establish 30 GW of offshore wind turbines by 2030. The administration has confirmed it will accelerate permitting for projects off the Atlantic coast, offer $3 billion in federal loan guarantees for offshore wind projects, and upgrade ports to support wind construction activities.
A bill is being introduced in the state of Oregon to establish a task force on floating wind energy and enable the development of 3 GW of commercial-scale floating wind projects within federal waters off Oregon’s coast by 2030.
Research company Aegir Insights forecasts a build-out of floating offshore wind capacity of between 6 GW and 11 GW by 2035 in California, Oregon, Hawaii, Michigan, New York, and Maine, with the base case giving a result of 9 GW.
