Seabed survey company Bibby HydroMap have begun survey operations on the proposed LNG project off Morecambe Bay.

The work program comprises geophysical, geotechnical and environmental surveying of the proposed pipeline route to shore and will be undertaken using a multi-vessel approach. Bibby HydroMap’s own vessels Chartwell and Eagle will perform the geophysical and environmental scope, acquiring multibeam bathymetry, side scan sonar data, sub-bottom profiler and magnetometer data, alongside benthic grab samples and visual inspection. For the geotechnical aspect of the work, Bibby HydroMap will perform vibrocores to 5m and CPTs to 5m and 20m.

Bibby HydroMap Project Manager Daniel Jenkins commented, “Working to improve the UK LNG network on this interesting and complex project is something that we are delighted to be a part of.”

Located in Morecambe Bay, offshore Barrow-in-Furness, Port Meridian Energy is developing an LNG receiving and offloading facility designed to accommodate Höegh LNG’s floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) vessels.

Conventional LNG transportation vessels will offload LNG to the FSRU via ship-to-ship transfer; with the FSRU converting liquefied natural gas (LNG) into a gaseous state suitable for transportation to shore via a subsea pipeline.

Transfer to shore comprises of a 26-inch diameter high pressure gas pipeline, commencing at the FSRU location approximately 43.5 km southwest of Barrow and landfalling on the western beach of Walney Island.  From the landfall, the pipeline traverses approximately 5.5 km through agricultural fields and crosses Walney Channel to the mainland to the site of the proposed Above Ground Installation where the gas will connect into the existing National Transmission System.

Port Meridian Construction Manager Nigel Kirk commented, “PMEL have contracted Bibby HydroMap because they offered a comprehensive onshore and offshore survey package, with established onshore subcontractors and dedicated offshore and nearshore vessels.”