OffshoreRenewables

Worley to work on Australian offshore wind project

Australian offshore engineering company Worley has been awarded a framework agreement by Edinburgh-based Flotation Energy for the development of a 1.5 GW offshore wind farm off the coast of Gippsland, Australia.

Worley said it is providing pre-feasibility study services for the project that could produce enough power for some 1m homes and businesses across Victoria and sets out to be one of Australia’s first offshore wind sites.

Backed by funding from Victoria State, the project, named Seadragon, has the potential to create over 1,600 jobs. The proposed site is located near older oil and gas platforms in the Bass Strait, which is said to offer the potential for repurposing assets no longer needed for oil and gas production to house offshore infrastructure. 

It will also consider synergies for the construction, operations, and maintenance phases of the offshore wind farm, Worley said, whose study will propose the concept design of the overall project and provide recommendations for efficient execution, including an analysis of the local supply chain, ports, and harbour infrastructure.

“The Seadragon project will act as an energy transition bridge between the oil and gas and wind industries, bringing opportunities to retrain and upskill local workforces into renewables-focused roles,” said Christopher Cowland, vice president at Global Offshore Wind.

Study development will be led from Worley’s Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane offices and will also draw upon expertise from the company’s offshore wind center of excellence in Europe. The initial study is projected to take 12 weeks, with first power expected in 2030.

Adis Ajdin

Adis is an experienced news reporter with a background in finance, media and education. He has written across the spectrum of offshore energy and ocean industries for many years and is a member of International Federation of Journalists. Previously he had written for Navingo media group titles including Offshore Energy, Subsea World News and Marine Energy.
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