The Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources of Turkey (MENR) has awarded the contract for geological and geophysical research for the country's first offshore wind site assessment project to DenAr Ocean Engineering Services. This contract aims to advance offshore wind energy development plans in Turkey and improve the infrastructure related to this important industry.
Project Details
The research work includes two specific areas in the Sea of Marmara that fall under the NCS-01 project. The scope of the assessment includes the use of advanced equipment such as multi-beam echo sounder (MBES), side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, and magnetometer. Additionally, investigations related to unexploded ordnance (UXO) and high-precision seismic studies are also included in this project.
Read more: DenAr Ocean Engineering Provides Research Services at Turkey's First Offshore Wind Energy Site
Operations and Implementation Stages
Geotechnical works will include cone penetration tests (CPT) and sampling from the DP2 vessel named Denar Explorer. After the samples are collected, laboratory tests and reporting will be conducted. DenAr has announced that the entire field program will involve three vessels and operations during the winter season.
In preparation for this project, DenAr held a Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) meeting on the Denar Explorer vessel. Representatives from MENR, its consultant IMDC, and the company's marine team attended this meeting. The meeting focused on planned activities and work requirements in the busy waters of the Sea of Marmara.
This contract has been signed as Turkey advances its plans to hold its first offshore wind tender, aiming to install 5 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2035. In 2023, MENR held a tender for consulting services and site assessment in three potential development areas in the Sea of Marmara, which is considered part of the site preparation and design work for the country's offshore wind tender.
The government published a draft law regarding the 1 gigawatt offshore wind tender in June 2026 and announced in August its intention to hold the first tender in the first quarter of 2027.
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