Ocean Infinity has entered into a contract with Equinor Wind to conduct a comprehensive site investigation survey for one of the pioneering floating offshore wind farms on the US West Coast. This venture marks a crucial step towards harnessing the potential of sustainable energy sources in challenging deep-water environments.
Under the terms of this contract, Ocean Infinity will employ multiple Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to carry out extensive surveys within Equinor's floating offshore wind lease area OCS-P 0563. The utilization of AUVs on this scale underscores the commitment to cutting-edge technology and environmentally conscious practices in the offshore energy industry.
Shawntel Johnson, Director of Business Development at Ocean Infinity, expressed the company's enthusiasm for the project, stating, “The US West Coast with its challenging deep water topography presents another excellent opportunity for Ocean Infinity to deliver the value of its multi-AUV capabilities for its clients. AUVs in scale are the perfect tool for this region providing not only great data quality advantages over towed arrays, in the water depths spanning from 974 meters to 1317 meters (about 4507 feet), but also huge efficiency over wide areas.”
The commencement of this groundbreaking project is scheduled for February, and its survey scope encompasses a wide range of essential offshore surveys. These critical data acquisitions play a pivotal role in Equinor's efforts to advance its design basis and inform the Site Assessment Plan and Construction and Operations Plan for the OCS-P 0563 lease area.
Ocean Infinity's commitment to delivering high-quality data sets will facilitate well-informed decision-making and meticulous planning for the construction and operational phases of the offshore wind farm. Oliver Plunkett, Chief Executive of Ocean Infinity, highlighted the significance of this endeavor, saying, “When Ocean Infinity was formed, the idea of using robotics at an enormous scale to collect more data, faster and with less environmental impact while optimizing safety was our guiding principle. This project is that entire vision coming to life. It's exciting and rewarding to work with clients such as Equinor who share our vision, can see the power of robotics and our unique understanding as tech innovators, and will reap the benefits as we support them in driving the energy transition.”
With Ocean Infinity's fleet of globally located uncrewed vessels and approximately 20 AUVs, which constitute the world's largest fleet of full-capability deep-water Autonomous Underwater Vehicles, the company is ideally positioned to play a pivotal role in the ongoing expansion of offshore renewable energy projects in the United States and around the world. This partnership between Ocean Infinity and Equinor Wind underscores the collective commitment to pushing the boundaries of sustainable energy production and environmental stewardship.
