ROVOP was tasked with supporting the decommissioning of the Hornsea meteorological mast, installed approximately 120km off the English coast in the North Sea.

This mast used the world’s first twisted jacket foundation for the offshore wind industry. It spent several years collecting high quality wind data over 100m above the waterline to inform future wind farm design activities and energy production estimates.

Recognising the need for an agile yet powerful solution, ROVOP supplied a Schilling HD 33 ROV. While the initial scope was for UXO and debris survey operations to enable a jack-up rig to position itself on site, it was soon discovered that dredging around the mast was required in lieu of UXO surveying in order to assist the cutting process.

The HD 33 performed seabed and spudcan seabed surveys once the vessel was in position, then dredged the area. With a third-party hydraulic wire cutter equipped, the ROV was positioned to monitor the diamond wire cutter during the cutting process and to assist should the wire become stuck..