Worley has been awarded a framework agreement by Flotation Energy for the development of an a 1500MW offshore wind farm off Victoria, Australia.
The consultancy is providing pre-feasibility study services to Flotation Energy’s Seadragon project off the coast of Gippsland.
The initial study is projected to take 12 weeks, with first power expected in 2030.
Worley’s study will propose the concept design of the overall project and provide recommendations for efficient execution.
It will explore the best practices for building a sustainable industry and analyse the local supply chain, ports, and harbour infrastructure.
“Flotation Energy is an early entrant into the emerging Australian offshore wind market and we’re delighted to be working with Worley to support engineering studies for the next stage of the 1500MW Seadragon offshore wind farm.
“Worley combines its extensive in-house expertise across all aspects of offshore wind with local knowledge of Gippsland and Bass Strait, which will be critical to successfully delivering the project,” said Tim Sawyer, Director at Flotation Energy.
Backed by funding from the Victoria State Government, the project has the potential to create over 1600 jobs, providing a significant investment boost for the local economy and workforce, Worley said.
Worley global offshore wind vice president Christopher Cowland said: “Australia has a long-established history in conventional energy.
“The Seadragon project will act as an energy transition bridge between the oil and gas and wind industries, bringing opportunities to retrain and upskill local workforces into renewables-focused roles.”
The proposed project site is located near older oil and gas platforms in the Bass Strait, offering the potential for repurposing assets no longer needed for oil and gas production to house offshore infrastructure.
It will also consider “synergies for the construction, operations, and maintenance phases of the offshore wind farm”.
Study development will be led from the company’s Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, and Brisbane offices, also drawing on expertise from its offshore wind centre of excellence in Europe.