Belgian Energy Island in North Sea Starts Taking Shape (Video)
TM Edison, a consortium of Belgian marine construction companies DEME and Jan De Nul, has installed the first two of a total 23 caissons in the Belgian North Sea, marking the start of construction for the Princess Elisabeth Island, the ‘world’s first’ artificial energy island.Caissons are concrete building blocks that form the outline of the future island. In a later phase, the interior will be filled with sand to build high-voltage infrastructure that will connect new offshore wind farms.TM Edison is carrying out the work on behalf of grid operator Elia Transmission Belgium (Elia).
How Do You Build Tunnels and Bridges Underwater?
Digital Visual Library, CC BYNowadays, a project like this would use a cofferdam: a temporary, watertight enclosure that can be pumped dry to provide an open and safe site for construction. Once the area is enclosed and pumped free of water, you’re in the realm of regular construction.Using a caisson is another way to provide a dry area at a site that is typically underwater. A caisson is typically a prefabricated and water-tight structure, shaped like an upside-down cup, that a crew sinks into the water. They keep it pressurized to ensure that water will not rush in. Once the caisson is on
HII Dry Dock Gate to Become Part of Sustainable Fish Reef
HII announced its Newport News Shipbuilding division partnered with the Virginia Marine Resource Commission (VMRC) to donate and sink a former dry dock caisson gate offshore, giving it new life as part of an artificial reef.Caisson gates are used at the harbor end of a dry dock, with pipes inside allowing for water from the James River to enter when NNS needs to flood the dry dock. This particular gate, originally put into service at NNS in 1967, was part of a dry dock no longer in use at the shipyard.NNS crews worked to prepare the caisson gate, ensuring that it was environmentally ready to take on
Robotics: Collaboration Pushes Boundaries of Offshore Cleaning and Inspection
Woodside collaborated with industry to create a state-of-the-art offshore caisson cleaning and inspection tool (CCAIT system), designed to enable safe and cost-effective remote inspection of offshore platforms.The unique system was designed, developed and deployed in less than 12 months via a collaboration led by Woodside Energy (Woodside) and incorporating Perth-based expertise from Nexxis, Monadelphous, WOMA, and Fugro.The CCAIT system incorporates a human-sized robot, designed to inspect the inside of caissons - vertical carbon steel pipes up to 70m long and up to 1.2m wide. These structures are
Fugro Reports IRM Bump
and risks.”“This recent inspection project was not only completed within schedule and under budget, but it also achieved 100 percent vessel up-time and delivered huge cost savings on repairs,” Daly added. “By rapidly designing, simulating and integrating a unique ROV-deployable caisson centraliser repair tool, we avoided the need for an expensive dive support vessel, saving our client over £1 million.”This year’s additional contracts join the long-standing ROVSV framework agreements and regular inspection work Fugro carries out for four other U.K. North Sea operators
Pipetech Wins Project with Nexen
Pipetech, the independent process system integrity specialist, has won a project with operator Nexen to deliver Active Caisson Management on its Scott platform.Active Caisson Management delivers a single sourced solution for inspection, cleaning, coating and planned and programmed maintenance and repair scheduling to drive cost efficiencies and maintain asset integrity throughout the lifecycle of a caisson.Pipetech has completed the first stage to remove internal scale build up from a 42 inch produced water caisson on the platform, located 188km from Aberdeen, while it remained in operation. The scope
Aerial Drones Take Flight Offshore
, the operator might possibly lose 100,000 barrels in lost production at a cost of $40 to $50 per barrel. In a typical rig survey example, a UAS could capture visual images of key elements including cellar underdecks, emergency shutdown valve (ESDV) platforms, conductors and guides, caissons and jacket legs. Coverage of a cellar underdeck would be enhanced by having the UAS aerially inspect it from several different angles, taking both close-up and standoff photos. An interim inspection report is generally provided midway through a project, highlighting immediate issues and general
New Tool for Offshore Inspection
of services and increase its geographical reach to provide its customers with the most efficient, cost-effective technological solutions. AISUS has launched an improved internal gravity deployed ultrasonic scanning tool, SIRIUS-X, for completing ultrasonic corrosion mapping within offshore caissons, risers and conductors. Following successful field trials, it recently completed its first caisson inspection program for a major U.K. oil and gas operator. The projects were completed in 14 days and included internal inspection of the largest diameter caisson AISUS has delivered to date
GMC Wins Third North Sea Caisson Build Contract
GMC Limited has announced that following its two recent caisson awards from North Sea operators, the company has been awarded a third caisson fabrications contract. All three awards will utilize GMC’s unique multi-tooth mechanical connector, specifically designed for replacement caisson applications. GMC continues to expand its Sea Water Lift (SWL) caisson replacement service in providing Operators with a fully managed caisson fabrication service, including client specific coating requirements, and often working to tight delivery schedules. SWL caissons are integral
December 2025
