Reporter Yang Jin-young, Electrical Times (camp@electimes.com), Published May 26, 2022, 11:01 AM
Securing Equinor’s Floating Wind Power Mapping Contract, Aligning with Global Standards
Leading the Industry with 96-Channel Technology
Kim Hyun-do, CEO of GeoView, explains his company’s marine exploration technology.
The common factor between the Jeju-Wando Third Connection Line and the Ulsan Floating Offshore Wind Power Project is their significance as highly anticipated ventures in the renewable energy sector.
The Jeju-Wando Third Connection Line has been proposed as a solution to mitigate output restrictions from wind and solar power. Meanwhile, floating offshore wind power, installed in areas far from the coast with favorable wind conditions, has the potential to generate significantly more electricity compared to nearshore installations.
Another shared aspect of these projects is the critical role of marine exploration. For the Third Connection Line, undersea cables must be installed. Similarly, floating wind turbines require mooring lines to anchor them to the seabed. Thus, the “underwater environment” is crucial for these projects.
Based in Busan, GeoView, led by CEO Kim Hyun-do, is South Korea’s leading marine exploration company, tasked with conducting marine surveys for both projects.
Founded in 2005 when Kim earned his Ph.D. in Ocean Engineering, GeoView was established in a market where the term “marine exploration” existed, but specialized companies were nonexistent.
Under the company motto of “Technical Excellence Above All,” GeoView has emphasized technological advancement and grown by registering 18 patents and transferring 11 technologies, including:
- A small cone penetration system for seabed sediment used in offshore plant installation
- An Acoustic 3D Scanner system for precision seabed exploration
- A 3D seismic survey receiver array using deflectors
In 2021, GeoView received the $1 Million Export Tower award in the technical services category.
Most recently, the company was awarded the marine geophysical survey and mapping contract for Equinor’s Firefly floating offshore wind project in Ulsan, South Korea.
Equinor Chooses GeoView for Ulsan Floating Offshore Wind Project
Equinor, represented in South Korea by senior executives such as Embret Johnsgaard and Do-hyun Park, has tasked GeoView with seabed mapping and other marine exploration services for an 800 MW floating offshore wind farm located approximately 70 km off the coast of Ulsan.
A pioneer in floating wind power, Equinor built the world’s first floating wind demonstration farm (2.3 MW) in Norway in 2009 and developed the first commercial floating wind farm, Hywind Scotland (30 MW), in 2017.
Equinor’s decision to entrust a South Korean company with this critical task underscores GeoView’s globally competitive technical capabilities.
Kim stated, “We already possessed the technical expertise, but the Equinor project provided an opportunity to align with global standards, including HSE (Health, Safety, and Environment). This alignment has led to inquiries from other international wind power companies planning to enter South Korea.”
GeoView differentiates itself from domestic competitors by employing multi-channel survey technology. Unlike single-channel systems, GeoView’s 96-channel seismic survey equipment delivers high-resolution imaging, matching the advanced capabilities of European competitors. The company also owns South Korea’s first specialized marine survey vessel, weighing 121 tons.
Marine Exploration as the Foundation of Offshore Energy Projects
Kim predicts that as offshore energy industries like undersea cables and wind power develop, the importance of marine exploration will only grow.
He explained, “Marine exploration is essential at the beginning, to identify suitable sites, and at the end, to verify construction integrity. It truly is the start and finish of offshore projects.”
However, Kim lamented the lagging state of South Korea’s marine exploration industry compared to international standards.
“While European nations conduct advanced marine exploration worldwide, South Korean companies remain stuck in basic surveying, a regrettable position for a country known as a shipbuilding powerhouse,” he said.
Kim criticized the industry’s focus on low-cost competition, which perpetuates substandard results and inefficiency.
“Most marine survey firms rely on single-channel exploration, producing low-resolution data, and win contracts through low bids. This cycle leads to frequent re-surveys and higher long-term costs,” Kim added.
A Vision for the Future: Discovering the Turtle Ship
Looking ahead to his eventual retirement, Kim has a unique aspiration: uncovering the Turtle Ship, a legendary Korean battleship from Admiral Yi Sun-sin’s era.
“The highlight of my career in marine exploration would be discovering the Turtle Ship. With the technology and expertise GeoView has accumulated, we are well-equipped for the task. It’s a mission we must undertake to revive the legacy of Admiral Yi for South Korea,” he concluded.
