The Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) has appointed OWC, a company within the ABL Group, to provide technical support for geophysical and geotechnical surveys at two offshore wind sites in Portugal.
The work covers the Leixões and Figueira da Foz areas, which are part of the country’s Allocation Plan for Offshore Renewable Energy (PAER). The surveys form a key stage in Portugal’s efforts to expand its offshore wind capacity as part of its broader goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
OWC will supply specialist geophysical and geotechnical client representatives to supervise survey activities. The company will be supported by Portugal-based consultancy Hidromod, also part of ABL Group. Both firms will oversee health, safety and environmental (HSE) performance, quality assurance and delivery of IPMA’s technical requirements.
“We are pleased that IPMA has chosen OWC’s technical and operational expertise to support these nationally significant renewable projects,” said Tom Gray, subsurface director and global client representative service line lead at OWC.
The geophysical survey scope includes multibeam echosounder, side scan sonar, towed magnetometer, sub-bottom profiler, and 2D ultra-high-resolution seismic data collection. Geotechnical work will cover seabed grab samples, vibrocores and cone penetration tests.
“This project allows us to combine our local site and industry knowledge with OWC’s strong global track record,” said José Chambel Leitão, founder and managing director of Hidromod.
IPMA began the survey campaign in April, with OWC and Hidromod joining in September. The work is expected to continue into November.
“These are important wind farm areas for the development of offshore renewable energy in Portugal,” said Ana Pirrone, OWC’s country manager for Portugal and Spain. “To play a small part in the early stages of these potential projects is both rewarding and exciting for our local team.”
The Leixões and Figueira da Foz zones are part of Portugal’s Maritime Spatial Planning Situation Plan (PSOEM) and PAER, which outline the country’s offshore renewable development framework in line with the European Union’s REPowerEU objectives.
