TGL tidal energy tripod decommissioning project

Published on July 27 2018

Leask Marine’s operations teams have successfully completed phase 1 of the TGL tidal energy tripod decommissioning with the Pile cutting at the seabed of the three legs.

European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) has contracted Leask Marine to develop the methodology and procedures in order to ensure the 167 tonne tripod structure is disconnected from the seabed, transported, cut into small pieces and then recycled in full.

This very challenging phase of the project working in high tidal flow conditions entailed the cutting of the 3 x 2.2m tripod piled legs by Proserv personnel using a specialised external Diamond Wire Saw (DWS) cutting tool. Leask Marine’s engineering team developed a uniquely engineered and manufactured hydraulically RAM operated deployment frame structure with bumper plates to hold the DWS device. This was supported with docking clamps and multiple support cameras to ensure that the device was able to hold the cutting heads in position with no movement while working in the high tidal flow environment. 

This was one of the Company’s most technically challenging projects in its history with such precision engineering skills operating in the unique challenges of working in the high tidal flow conditions.