Fugro has been awarded a contract by Oriel Windfarm Ltd to deliver a detailed geotechnical site investigation that will inform the design and installation of foundations for 25 offshore wind turbines, supporting safe and efficient construction at the Oriel offshore wind farm. Located off the coast of County Louth, the 375 MW project is planned to be among Ireland’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farms and is being jointly developed by JERA Nex bp and the Irish semi-state utility ESB.

Fugro’s winter geotechnical campaign is already underway following the mobilisation of the Fugro Voyager. Located in a technically demanding area of the Irish Sea, the Oriel site requires careful planning, experienced offshore delivery and proven seabed investigation technology to ensure safe and reliable data acquisition.

The Fugro Voyager is equipped with Fugro’s advanced SEADEVIL® coring system, designed to recover high-quality, undisturbed soil samples in complex offshore environments. Working in water depths of up to 33 metres, the investigation includes cone penetration testing, wireline geophysics and laboratory analysis at its Wallingford facility. The resulting Geo-data will support foundation design and help reduce installation risk as the project progresses.

Garrett Connell, Ireland Country Manager at JERA Nex bp said: 
“Partnering with Fugro on this geotechnical survey campaign represents an important milestone, enabling us to progress our detailed project design and bringing us closer to realising the Oriel project and contributing to Ireland’s offshore wind ambitions.”

Remmelt de Jong, Fugro’s Regional Business Line Director for Marine Site Characterisation in Europe and Africa said: 
“Early access to high-quality Geo-data is critical for projects of this scale. By understanding the site’s ground profile, Oriel Windfarm can make informed decisions that support the long-term performance of offshore wind assets. We’re proud to bring our expertise to such an important project and help accelerate Ireland’s renewable energy ambitions.”

This contract award reflects a strong collaborative relationship between Fugro and the Oriel wind farm team, as Fugro works closely with the project team to deliver innovative solutions that meet the project’s unique challenges.

The Oriel Wind Farm

The Oriel wind farm project is being jointly developed by Parkwind and ESB. It will be the first commercial Irish Sea offshore wind energy project developed by the two partners.

In 2010 Oriel was granted a conditional Foreshore Lease to construct an offshore wind farm in the waters to the east of Dundalk Bay.

In 2017 Parkwind became the project developer, bringing with them considerable technical expertise. ESB joined the project in 2019.

The new project team has spent the last few years updating environmental surveys and technical data. The final updated design of the Oriel wind farm will be established following further study and public engagement. The project will have up to 375 MW in production capacity and will be located between 6 and 22km from the coast.

Oriel expect to apply for consent to the relevant planning authorities in 2024. The consent application will be supported by detailed planning drawings, Environmental Impact Assessment Report and Natura Impact Statement.

The Irish Government’s Climate Action Plan 2023 identifies clear policy steps towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including an increased target for renewable sources of energy from 30% to 70% by 2030. This will be achieved by adding 12 GW of renewable energy capacity, including a minimum of 5 GW of offshore wind, coming from projects such as the Oriel Wind Farm. All initiatives under the climate action plan are required to have positive economic and societal benefits for the long term, including the establishment of a community benefit fund.

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