TPi January 2015

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8 Tube ProducTs InTernaTIonal January 2015
newsbusiness & market
Offshore wind turbine ‘suction bucket’
foundation prototype
Tata Steel, Europe’s second largest
steel producer, in conjunction with
German pipe manufacturer Eisenbau
Krämer, has completed delivery of 400
tonnes of 3D profiled and submerged
arc welded (SAW) tubular steel to Bladt
Industries, for use in an innovative
suction bucket foundation being trialled
in the North Sea.
In a bid to significantly reduce offshore
wind energy costs by 40 per cent by
2020, the three-legged design uses
vacuum-assisted technology to secure
the structure to the seabed, reducing
installation costs and the environmental
noise impact of conventional steel
piling. With limited time before
installation, profiled tubular assemblies
were delivered to the Bladt Industries
facility in Aalborg, Denmark, enabling
the company to swiftly manufacture the
foundation jacket structure.
The prototype jacket will sit alongside
77 standard turbines in the Borkum
Riffgrun 1 wind farm, 37km off the
northwest German coast in the North
Sea, with capacity to generate CO2-free
power for over 280,000 households.
Tata Steel and Eisenbau Krämer have
collaborated on developing products
and services for offshore wind
foundations since 2011. A successful
trial will enable the design to be moved
into serial production for future offshore
wind projects, including UK Round 3
wind farms.
Speaking about the project, Tata Steel
commercial manager Phil Knowles said,
“We have successfully managed the
timely delivery of jacket components
for this evolutionary project, which is
a positive statement of our intent and
capability in this area. Bladt Industries
has shown great faith in Tata Steel’s
reputation and we welcome their
backing.”
Tata steel europe ltd – UK
400 tonnes of 3D profiled and SAW tubular steel is being used
for a suction bucket foundation being trialled in the North Sea