Subsea Micropiles has announced the acquisition of Acoustic Zoom’s technology IP portfolio, coinciding with the UK Government confirming a boost in investment for offshore wind with a dedicated £1.1bn budget in its latest Contract for Difference (CfD) auction. This marks a major step forward for the company in advancing geological survey capabilities, reducing the risk and uncertainty associated with soil conditions in the project construction phase and during life of field.
Combining acoustic imaging techniques with conventional geotechnical survey methods, Subsea Micropiles envisions compression of survey and construction activities, reducing the substantial capital costs associated with traditional survey methods which typically precede the financial close of offshore projects. Supported by advanced machine learning (AI), the integration of survey field data with ground models will greatly improve understanding of geological conditions to optimise and predict the behaviour of engineered anchor and foundation solutions across market segments to include offshore wind.
Earlier this year, Subsea Micropiles successfully demonstrated the utilisation of Acoustic Zoom technology during an anchor installation in the Scapa Flow, Orkney (Scotland). The results are unprecedented and have revealed the interaction of drilling and grouting activities within a complex soil formation.
Prof. Jacques Yves Guigné, Acoustic Zoom’s inventor and now Chief Scientific Officer at Subsea Micropiles commented: “This acquisition brings together advanced acoustic imaging and AI to deliver high-resolution, real-time ground models, which was previously unavailable offshore. By converting shear wave velocities into actionable insights, we’re enabling smarter foundation decisions earlier in the project lifecycle. It’s a powerful step forward that aligns directly with our mission to reduce offshore project cost and risk through intelligent, data-driven design.”
Subsea Micropiles co-founder and Geotechnical Director, Jon Machin, offered: “Leveraging subsea robotics we are adapting deep pile foundation solutions proven over decades with micropiles as well as survey techniques normally limited to onshore geological test pits. The acquisition of intellectual property from Acoustic Zoom and ongoing collaboration with Prof. Guigné is a fulfilment of our technology vision and welcome expansion of service capabilities in the offshore industry.”
