Case studies

Since January 2009 Petrofac has been providing operations and maintenance consultancy services as well as offshore installation managers (OIMs) and commissioning engineers to the project. 

In 2010 the scope was expanded to provide full operations and maintenance support to the BorWin alpha platform, including the deployment of seven support staff. This contract is with ABB, the primary engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor on the project.  

Key facts

• Petrofac has been providing people, maintenance and support services to the Borwin alpha platform since January 2009
• the platform is based north of Borkum in the German sector of the North Sea and is part of Germany’s offshore wind power development
• it houses a high voltage direct current (HVDC) station that converts the alternating current produced by the turbines to direct current before transmitting it onshore to the national grid
• the HVDC station is the first of its kind in the world and is a key aspect of the operator, TenneT’s, 400MW link to connect offshore wind farms to Germany’s power grid 

In the same area but on a separate wind farm, we commenced a second contract with ABB in October 2010 to provide engineering, design, construction and project management services to the DolWin1 platform. It has a similar HVDC station and is also operated by TenneT with ABB as the primary EPC contractor. 

"Being involved in such ground-breaking projects from the early stages, particularly in Germany, a new market for our business, has been a key stepping stone into the renewables industry."

Mick Bowery, Business Development Manager, Petrofac Offshore Projects and Operations