Sea change | Oil & gas driller Transocean plans offshore wind leap with Eneti
Pair to set up JV that would see at least two Transocean vessels converted into foundation installation platforms
One of the world’s biggest players in offshore oil & gas drilling plans to enter the wind sector in partnership with turbine installation vessel owner Eneti.
Transocean and Eneti intend to form a joint venture (JV) dedicated to offshore wind installation, said the pair.
If it goes ahead the JV would see the conversion of at least two of Transocean’s vessels into floating offshore wind installation platforms “capable of carrying and installing up to six 3,500-tonne, 12-metre diameter monopile foundations with state-of-the-art safety and efficiency”.
Monaco-based, New York-listed Eneti – which owns the global wind installation specialist Seajacks – said of its new partner: “Transocean has three hundred plus rig-years of experience operating a global fleet of dynamically positioned offshore drilling rigs to a diverse base of energy-producing customers on long-term contracts.”
Eneti has since 2021 when it rebranded from its former name Scorpio Bulkers emerged as one of the most ambitious players in the offshore wind installation sector, which is set to boom on the back of soaring deployment targets for turbines globally.
Wind’s massive expansion has left project developers racing to source vessels not just in sufficient numbers, but at the scale required to handle new generations of supersized turbines and the foundations to support them.
The JV is subject to definitive agreements and could see other parties brought in as investors.
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