Function
Removal and shipment to shore.
What it costs*
Around £155million for a 1 GW offshore wind farm.
Who supplies them
Cable installation contractors such as Boskalis, Global Marine and Subsea 7 can provide cable decommissioning.
In addition, companies such as CRS Holland, Pharos Offshore, Rotech Subsea and Subsea Environmental Services can carry out subsea cable recovery.
Key facts
The value, especially of the main conductor material in array and export cables, is such that it is likely to remain worth removing the cable, rather than leaving it buried.
Cables will be disconnected each end then pulled from the sea bed and wound on to drums or chopped into short sections for storage on the decommissioning vessel. The method of gripping and pulling the cable will depend on the ground conditions and burial depth. For sandy conditions the approach is likely to involve fluidising the sea bed while the cable is pulled. The industry is likely to develop new tools for the process.
Particular care will be needed at cable crossings (power or telecommunications) to avoid damage to functioning assets.