Fugro has completed a site investigation for Ørsted at a planned offshore wind farm landing site on Victoria’s eastern coast, Australia. The project marked the first onshore use of Fugro’s Heat Flow Module (HFM) cone penetration test (CPT) probe, which records thermal soil properties alongside standard CPT data.
The probe was deployed as part of a wider ground investigation using Fugro’s GroundIQ solution, supported by geophysical and geotechnical surveys. While CPT data is essential for assessing subsurface strength, layering and composition for turbine foundations, thermal data is critical for underground transmission cables, which generate heat affecting long-term reliability. Fugro’s HFM probe provides thermal conductivity results within 24 hours from undisturbed soil samples, removing the need for laboratory testing.
Satellite connectivity enabled near real-time collaboration between field teams in Australia and processing centres in the United Kingdom. This allowed Ørsted engineers in Europe to refine drilling plans, minimise repeat measurements and accelerate data delivery.
