Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (October 2024)

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OpEd

Offshore voirs at depths of 34,000 feet. built, owned and crewed offshore wind service operations

This achievement required the collaboration of numer- vessel (SOV), constructed by Edison Chouest. This vessel ous companies. For instance, Chevron contracted Trans- will play a pivotal role in the operation and maintenance ocean’s newly built Deepwater Titan, an eighth-generation of wind farms, serving as a base for technicians and equip- drillship, to drill and complete the project’s subsea high- ment. Built by over 600 workers across shipyards in Loui- pressure production wells. The Deepwater Titan and its siana, Mississippi and Florida, and sourcing components sister ship are the ? rst rigs in the world equipped with a from 34 states, the ECO Edison exempli? es the signi? cant 1,700-ton hoisting system, a 20,000-psi well control sys- ? nancial investments and collaborative efforts driving the tem and a 10,000-psi mud system. U.S. offshore wind industry forward.

Other frontier HPHT projects, like Beacon Offshore Furthermore, there is an additional pipeline of more than

Energy’s Shenandoah Project and bp’s Kaskida Project, are $14 billion in proposed additional investments to ports, man- poised to follow and build upon the Gulf region’s impres- ufacturing, vessels, workforce development, and research.

sive resilience and status as a premier global energy basin. As the U.S. gears up for another election cycle, the po-

There has also been progress in developing new offshore litical landscape casts a long shadow over the future of wind projects in the U.S. The South Fork Wind project, offshore energy. However, offshore energy policy does not a joint venture between Ørsted and Eversource, is New need to become a contentious issue with debates polarized

York’s ? rst offshore wind farm and the ? rst commercial- along party lines.

scale offshore wind farm in federal waters. With 12 tur- Offshore oil and gas and offshore renewable energy proj- bines generating 132 MW of renewable energy, South ects offer signi? cant bene? ts, including job creation, energy

Fork Wind will power approximately 70,000 homes. security, and environmental stewardship and conservation.

While the power generated from offshore wind projects It is crucial for policymakers to recognize the importance of may be local, the economic signi? cance, including the sup- a stable and supportive regulatory environment for offshore ply chain, has a national footprint. States like Louisiana, energy. By pursuing federal policies that prioritize all-of-

Texas, North Carolina and Florida have already realized jobs the-above energy sources and enable innovation and invest- and investments from supporting offshore wind projects. ment in offshore oil and gas and renewable energy, the U.S.

Consider the ECO Edison, the ? rst-ever American- can ensure a lasting and secure energy future.

Ørsted 22 | MN October 2024