The BorWin gamma topside has been successfully welded to its jacket by CTS Teams, a location 130km off the German shore, deep in the North Sea. This key milestone marks the completion of the critical hook-up phase during the massive offshore project that will deliver enough clean energy to over one million homes via the German national grid.
Constructed between 2014 and 2018 at DryDocks World in Dubai, and commanding half of its capacity, the 900MW HVDC converter platform began its voyage to where it would be united with its jacket in the North Sea back in September 2018, finally arriving in October 2018.
During its journey the megastructure battled treacherous weather conditions and was delayed despite its impressive size as the sophisticated equipment and technology housed within the chassis demanded proper protection.
Upon arrival, the BorWin gamma topside was installed utilising dynamic float-over methodology, a first for the method in the North Sea. Weighing a monumental 18,000 tonnes and heavier than Big Ben, the 6 legs were intelligently placed over the jacket’s main piles, commencing our vigilant hook up activities to secure the topside to its substructure. This critical and complex phase carried out by CTS teams was completed to exacting standards and to schedule while adhering to a multitude of HSEQ regulations, braving the winter in North Sea and safely fulfilling the contract with zero lost time injuries, a standard we maintain across all our projects.
Set to convert AC from offshore windfarms to DC and transmitted by a 160km long cable for the German national grid, this pioneering project will set the tone for future constructions and importantly, pushes the needle closer to a world powered by clean energy.
