VISTA CLARA INC. — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: C56-17a

Description

The problem being addressed: This proposal addresses the challenge of rapidly, economically, and precisely characterizing seafloor sediments for siting of offshore wind energy turbines and transmission cables.How this problem is being addressed: The rapid growth of the offshore wind industry worldwide is stretching the already limited supply of in-situ resources for seafloor mapping. The gap between available supply and demand is expected to increase over the coming years. Conventional methods for obtaining geotechnical information for seafloor characterization are primarily based on core sampling and laboratory tests. These methods are labor-, time- and cost-intensive. They also provide only limited spatial information that can be biased by multiple factors. In this proposal we will develop, demonstrate, and bring to market NMR-based CPT-deployed in-situ technology and surface NMR geophysical instruments for seafloor mapping. These technologies will integrate deployment and measurement techniques adapted to and focused on the seafloor characterization needs of the rapidly growing offshore wind energy market.Phase 1 Tasks: We will demonstrate the feasibility of performing surface NMR measurements and CPT+NMR geotechnical measurements in seafloor sediments from floating or jackup vessels to quantitatively characterize marine sediments and yield necessary and sufficient geo-mechanical information for siting offshore wind turbines and transmission cables.Commercial Applications and Other Benefits: The development of surface NMR and CPT+NMR technologies for in-situ characterization of seafloor sediments will deliver powerful products for commercial sale, rental, and/or services in the offshore and geotechnical, and marine research markets. In addition, the developed technologies will be of value to companies, governments, and public agencies involved in the offshore wind industry and civil engineering projects. The ability to perform real time, in-situ, high-resolution seafloor mapping will reduce site characterization costs, accelerate the geotechnical site surveying required for offshore wind farm design, and support informed decision making. In addition, the developed technologies will improve project efficiency, reduce risk, and result in improved outcomes.