How Bathymetric Data Fuels Offshore Wind Success

The Evolution of Seafloor Mapping

During the 1800s, the ocean was imagined as a vast, featureless expanse. This perception began to shift with the advent of undersea telegraph cables, sparking a new era of exploration. Pioneers like Sir James Clark Ross and Mathew Fontaine Maury developed methods to chart the seabed using weighted ropes. These early techniques, although rudimentary, laid the foundation for modern ocean science. Fast forward to today, advancements in technology have revolutionized how we map the ocean floor.

Yet, remarkably, only 20% of the seafloor has been mapped, leaving much of the ocean a mystery—and a source of untapped potential for industries like offshore wind.

Image source: Open source from the USGS, Bathymetric and Backscatter Data of the Morro Bay in California (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/data-releases/datarelease/10.5066-P9HEZNRO/)

What is Bathymetric Data and Why is It Essential?

Bathymetric data is the underwater equivalent of topography. It maps the seafloor, providing the detailed insights needed for safe and informed decision-making in offshore industries. This data is critical for selecting suitable sites, minimizing risks, and ensuring the stability of offshore wind installations.

Collected using advanced technologies, such as Multibeam Echosounders (MBES) and Lidar systems, bathymetric data creates a precise, georeferenced model of the seabed. These datasets combine depth, horizontal positioning, and uncertainty measures, offering an indispensable foundation for offshore wind development.

High-Tech Solutions for Mapping the Ocean Floor

This data is collected using advanced sensors that measure water depth with precision, alongside technologies that ensure the exact positioning of the data. Systems like Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are key, recording both the movement and position of the survey vessel with timestamps to synchronise everything seamlessly.

Modern bathymetric surveys employ cutting-edge tools to gather high-quality data:

• Multibeam Echosounders (MBES): Mounted on poles attached to offshore vessels or underwater vehicles, these systems transmit acoustic waves and measure their return to calculate depth. They also record the strength of these signals, which helps interpret the characteristics of the seafloor. 
  Once collected, the data is processed to account for oceanographic conditions, creating accurate seabed maps. To georeference the data accurately, all necessary datasets are combined to create a single point that includes depth, horizontal positioning, and vertical uncertainty. The concept of Total Propagated Uncertainty (TPU), which details these uncertainties, is fully outlined in the IHO S-44 standards.  
• ROVs and AUVs: In deeper waters, where achieving high resolution, certainty, and density is crucial, vessel-based MBES surveys might not meet the technical demands. Intead, Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) equipped with MBES offer higher-resolution data, even in challenging conditions. 
  These underwater vehicles rely on acoustic positioning systems like USBL (Ultra-Short Baseline) or UUSBL (an enhanced version) to determine their position accurately. 
  Just as the MBES requires a "patch test" to align its axes (X, Y, Z) with the motion sensor, USBL systems also need calibration to ensure the accuracy of their acoustic positioning. This process is critical for producing reliable survey results and high-quality deliverables. 
• Lidar Technology: For shallow waters, Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) sensors mounted on drones or planes provide efficient coverage for large areas. They’re particularly valuable for national mapping programmes and nearshore surveys, such as assessing landfall sites for high-voltage subsea cables (HVSC) connecting offshore wind farms to the grid. 

Each method ensures that the seabed is mapped to meet the specific technical and environmental requirements of offshore wind projects.

Image: Workflow diagram showcasing the different modern bathymetric tools

Scientific Significance: Key Drivers for Offshore Wind Success

Bathymetric data does more than map the ocean floor—it transforms our understanding of marine environments. By revisiting legacy datasets with modern computational tools, we uncover new insights that were once inaccessible. These revelations are essential in supporting informed decisions and sustainable development.

In renewable energy, bathymetric data is the backbone of the global shift towards a sustainable, decarbonized future.

Key Areas Where Bathymetric Data Drives Success:

• Seafloor Analysis: Primarily, bathymetric data offers crucial insights into the seabed morphology which is the backbone of site wind park development suitability studies and risk mitigations. Bathymetric data deliverables are the stepping stone before deciding where to install wind turbine generators (WTGs), the Offshore Wind Substations (OSS) and establish a secure cable route planning for IACs (Inter Array Cables) and the ECR (Electric Cable Route).
• Environmental Impact Assessment: Offshore windfarms development has to adhere to several regulations that are meant to protect the marine ecosystem in the area of interest (AOI). Bathymetric data is used in conjunction with other environmental observations to assess the potential impact on flora and fauna habitats such as seagrass beds, coral reefs, or breeding grounds, leading to a predictive impact assessment to manage sediment disturbance that will be caused by the offshore construction following a go-to-market with the wind farm project which could affect water quality and marine life in the area.
• Hydrodynamic and Geophysical Modeling: Bathymetric data serves as the foundational dataset upon which all other geophysical sensor data acquisition and processing rely to achieve accurate site characterization. When combined with data from multiple surveys, it offers insights far beyond simple seafloor mapping. Integrating bathymetric data from different campaigns, alongside information about wave ripple patterns, enables the development of predictive models for sediment dynamics in the area. 
• Backscatter Analysis: Multibeam backscatter technology has transformed how we understand the seabed by measuring the intensity of sound waves reflected off its surface. Harder, rougher areas like rock reflect stronger signals, while softer, smoother materials like silt return weaker ones. This capability is critical for identifying habitats, tracking sediment movement, and advancing environmental research in offshore energy projects. 

By analyzing changes in bathymetry over time, it becomes possible to identify trends in sediment movement, including mass and directional shifts. These insights allow for accurate predictions of depth variations in critical areas, supporting informed decision-making in planning and risk mitigation.

Image source: Backscatter example, open source from the USGS Survey in the Morro Bay (https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/data-releases/datarelease/10.5066-P9HEZNRO/)

Long-Term Value: A Strategic Asset for Offshore Projects

Bathymetric data is a long-term asset that plays a pivotal role in the success and sustainability of offshore renewable energy projects. Beyond its immediate application during site selection and construction, it provides a dynamic foundation for monitoring and adapting to the ever-changing marine environment.

By tracking changes in seabed conditions, such as sediment erosion, scouring, or shifting terrain, operators can proactively address risks, prevent costly infrastructure damage, and extend the lifespan of critical assets like turbine foundations and cables. Over time, this data evolves into a rich historical archive that helps build predictive models, offering valuable insights into sediment dynamics, wave interactions, and other factors critical to maintaining safe and efficient operations.

For future expansions, bathymetric data becomes invaluable. It guides decisions about optimal turbine placement and cable routes, minimizing the risk of errors and ensuring precision. It also plays a key role in environmental stewardship by providing insights into how seabed ecosystems evolve. This enables operators to meet regulatory requirements and demonstrate a commitment to preserving marine habitats, which enhances their credibility with stakeholders, regulators, and the public.

Ultimately, the enduring value of bathymetric data extends beyond operational efficiency. It empowers offshore developers to innovate, expand, and adapt in a challenging marine environment with confidence. By reducing uncertainties, fostering collaboration, and supporting sustainable practices, this data transforms from a technical resource into a strategic tool for building resilient, future-proof offshore energy projects.

From Data to Decisions: Why Cloud Computing Becomes a Must

As the power of multibeam sensors and other geophysical tools continues to grow, so does the amount of data they produce—data that’s crucial for bathymetric and geophysical surveys. Managing this vast sea of information can be overwhelming, especially when multiple stakeholders need access to it in real-time.

At north.io, we’ve built an Ocean Data Management Platform designed to handle this very challenge. Our platform provides a centralised hub to store, organise, and process large geospatial datasets, allowing seamless sharing and collaboration among all stakeholders involved in a project, from field teams to project managers and analysts.

The platform is tailored to the specific needs of bathymetric and geophysical data, with scalability built-in to handle diverse and complex datasets from various sources. It ensures data quality and integrity through automated quality assurance checks, so everyone can access the most accurate and up-to-date information.

By streamlining workflows and enabling real-time data sharing, we help reduce bottlenecks, speed up decision-making, and improve cross-collaboration. With this efficient, user-friendly system in place, all parties can focus on what matters most—extracting meaningful insights that drive project success.

Ready to Dive Deeper? Want to see how bathymetric data can revolutionize your offshore wind projects? Contact us directly or feel free to book a demo to explore how our solution can streamline your workflows, enhance collaboration, and maximise your ROI.