There is a great need for reliable, relevant data about ground conditions to enable assessment and planning of potential offshore field developments.

Since ground construction work offshore cannot be carried out in situ where the installations are to be located, comprehensive data acquisition is required in the entire area affected and far down beneath the seafloor.

NGI's state-of-the-art expertise

• interpretation of in situ and laboratory tests
• understanding soil behaviour
• selection of design parameters for foundation engineering of various structures and for geohazard assessment

Services related to offshore site investigations and design parameters

Since the start of Norwegian oil and gas activities offshore, NGI has built up extensive expertise in offshore site investigations and foundation engineering. In addition to marine geological information, available geophysical data are used to plan the actual investigations. These consist of drilling, sampling and in situ testing (penetrating probes into the seabed) from specially designed drilling vessels.

Laboratory tests on the samples retrieved are especially important and NGI has extensive laboratory capacity and staff with extensive skills, knowledge, expertise and experience in this area.

Research and development
NGI's current challenges and research in offshore site investigations and design parameters are concerned with:

• developing improved sampling methods (Deep water sampler, Box corer)
• interpreting  in situ tests in very soft sediments in deep water
• assessing sample disturbances by measuring shear wave velocity and sample suction
• correlations between index parameters and design parameters
• the effect of temperature on laboratory measurements: important both for sediments in deep water and for arctic conditions
• site investigation strategy for field development in ultra-deep water (>3000 m)

NGI actively participates in the development of international standards and guidelines for site investigations and laboratory testing, on the basis of new knowledge from experience and R&D. NGI contributes to international courses in the subject and offers technology transfer programmes to the offshore industry.