However, employees at the Polish Geological Institute – NRI from the Engineering Geology Department go beyond this scheme and closely cooperate with PGE Baltica by actively supervising geological work on research vessels, among others, based on the agreement concluded on 18 November 2020 between the Institute and PGE Baltica.

It would seem that geologists devote the fall and winter periods for carrying out desk studies, summarisation of the work carried out in the summer period and planning their activities for the coming years. However, employees at the Polish Geological Institute – NRI from the Engineering Geology Department go beyond this scheme and closely cooperate with PGE Baltica by actively supervising geological work on research vessels, among others, based on the agreement concluded on 18 November 2020 between the Institute and PGE Baltica.

They also assess the conformity of the conducted work with the approved Geological Work Project (PRG). Only in 2022, engineering geologists representing the Polish Geological Institute – NRI spent over 200 days in the Baltic Sea, transferring and gaining valuable knowledge and experience.

The Baltic Offshore Wind Farm is being implemented in cooperation between PGE and Orsted (in two stages – Baltica 2 and Baltica 3) and will be constructed approx. 25 km north of the Łeba coast. Currently, between October 2022 and June 2023, research work is being conducted at Baltica 2 and Baltica 3. The purpose of the geological work is to identify in detail the building subsoil for the design wind farms, including the associated infrastructure.

Photo: Research vessel leaving the Gdańsk port to the research area – December 2022

Experts from the Engineering Geology Department of the PGI-NRI provide scientific and technical consulting services on carrying out drillings and soil sampling, static probing, geo-physical testing, assessment of the work conformity with the approved PRG and the current Polish standards, instructions and guidelines.

The Polish Geological Institute – NRI representatives taking part in the project as the crew of research vessels hold SCTW safety training certificates (International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers). The representatives were also trained in terms of vessel security (Certificate of Proficiency in Security Awareness).

Photo: Crew of the research vessel during routine safety exercises.

Text: Kamil Wasilewski in cooperation with the team of supervising geologists.