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Xlinks Morocco-UK Power Project

Desk Top Study

The Project

The Xlinks Morocco UK Power Project will cover an area of approximately 1,500 sq. kilometres and be connected exclusively to Great Britain via 3,980 kilometres of HVDC subsea cables. The first-of-its-kind project could provide 8% of the UK’s total electricity needs.

Project Scope

OceanIQ’s extensive subsea knowledge was required by Xlink s to provide a Desktop Study (and a detailed Landing Point Assessment) for the proposed interconnector power cable linking Morocco to the UK. Utilising in-house cable data, route engineering, permitting, and consultancy services for power cable route planning projects, the OceanIQ team worked to deliver a detailed DTS, LPA and subsequent shallow water route with a maximum depth of 700m.

As part of the DTS, the Route Engineering Team identified high fishing risk areas, anchorages, and high-density shipping areas, especially southwest of the UK. Additionally, offshore and floating wind farms were considered, and avoided as part of the route planning. Furthermore, the Lisbon C anyon off Portugal and Capbreton Canyon off the South of France were also avoided.

The LPA involved site visits to two National Grid approved substations and near shore areas surrounding these locations in the UK. The aim of this was to further enhance the DTS findings, and produce a solution that minimised conflict with other seabed users and maximised the future security of the new cable.

OceanIQ advised Xlinks of a cable route that considered the landscape, avoided perceived high-risk areas and would provide the best cable security and optimal route.

The following factors were assessed to produce the three cable routes options based on water depth:

  • Researched bathymetry, seafloor and shallow seabed lithology, currents, weather, seismology, tides, permits, seabed users, seabed temperatures, fishing, shipping and anchoring.
  • Investigated environmental and cultural aspects relating to the cable route, highlighting marine protected areas, statutes and regulations of the various authoritative bodies.
  • Identified areas of potential difficulty for survey, installation, maintenance and possible sources of risk to the cable

In each of the five maritime jurisdictions crossed, there will be significant and detailed technical and environmental assessments required to obtain the necessary permits ahead of the survey and installation campaign. As part of the DTS, OceanIQ identified the requirements in order to secure the permits.

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