Aquatera Case Study – Subsea Micropiles

Subsea Micropiles

Subsea Micropiles Ltd (SMP) wanted to develop an innovative seabed drilling system that installs clusters of micropiles to create strong, cost-effective anchoring solutions for floating offshore wind and other marine energy projects. However, underwater noise is a key consideration in the marine consenting process, and at the time of testing there was no measured acoustic data available for the technology. Without this evidence, it was difficult to assess potential impacts on marine life or develop mitigation measures.

To address this, Aquatera led an independent underwater noise monitoring campaign during a full-scale demonstration of the drilling system in Scapa Flow, Orkney, working in collaboration with Xi Engineering Consultants. Monitoring was undertaken throughout the installation of three micropile anchors using calibrated hydrophone equipment, enabling detailed analysis of sound pressure levels, sound exposure levels (SEL), drilling signatures and potential impacts on marine mammals.

The study successfully established the acoustic footprint of the technology, providing SMP with a robust evidence base to support future licensing, environmental assessments and stakeholder engagement. Results demonstrated a consistent and predictable acoustic signature across all drilling operations, enabling impact ranges to be quantified and reducing regulatory uncertainty. The findings support the technology’s progression towards commercial deployment in floating offshore wind and other offshore renewable energy applications.