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Aeolus arrives back on Saint-Brieuc

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 16/07/2021 Ailes Marines

Ailes Marines has revealed that Van Oord's jack-up vessel
Aeolus has arrived back at the Saint-Brieuc wind farm. The vessel was previously operational on site drilling and installing the foundation piles. The vessel is responsible drilling and installing the foundation piles.

The vessel left the site on 14 June, following an incident during drilling which lead to the leak of hydraulic fluid into the sea. The incident resulted in the release of PANOLIN HLP SYNTH hydraulic fluid, for 48 hours after the incident. It is estimated that 170 litres leaked into the water. PANOLIN is classified in the category of “readily biodegradable fluids”, according to the criteria international standards 301B, with low environmental impact.


Since then, Van Oord has performed analysis and improvement of the tools to enable drilling works to continue optimally. Tests were carried out from 5th to 8th July in the Port of Rotterdam.

The work control and monitoring protocols have also been changed, including the permanent presence on site of the TSM Penzer vessel, which will be equipped with additional anti-pollution means (SOPEP equipment). The deployment of this equipment was tested during specific exercises in the Netherlands and Cherbourg, on July 13 in the presence of representatives of Ceppol (Antipollution Practical Expertise Center dependent on the Ministry of Defense). Other exercises will take place in the bay of Saint-Brieuc in the coming weeks.

Ailes Marines also announced the signing of an agreement with CEDRE (the Centre of Documentation, Research and Experimentation on Accidental Water Pollution). This agreement provides a framework for the prevention aspects of pollution response (strengthening of procedures, planning, exercises) and provides for close cooperation in the event of an intervention and provides for the training of the personnel involved.

The 496 MW
Saint-Brieuc wind farm, 16 km off the French coast, will feature 62 Siemens Gamesa SG 8.0-167 DD turbines, standing at 207 metres high. It is being developed by Ailes Marines, subsidiary of Spanish energy giant Iberdrola. Covering an area of 75km2 the project will be the first large-scale offshore wind farm in Brittany and, when operational in 2023, it will be capable of generating 1,820 GWh/year of electricity, expected to meet the demands of  835,000 people.

For more information on installation and maintenance of major offshore wind farm components, click here.

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