UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE - Wind Energy Network

SPONSORS OF Unexploded Ordnance
The legacy
of conflict
The legacy of Britain’s involvement in conflict
continues to have an impact on commercial
activities to this day
Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) is
encountered on a relatively frequent
basis by companies involved in the
construction or maintenance of
offshore wind farms and other
energy sectors.
Potential risk
The fact that there is a potential risk of
UXO on these sites around the UK should
not come as a surprise. The National
Archive suggests that in excess of 60,000
munitions remain unaccounted for in the
North Sea alone.
Other reports suggest that 1 in 10 of
bombs dropped on the UK and its
surrounding waters failed to detonate.
Facing reality
On the day all of this becomes relevant
to your project due to a UXO discovery
the question is what to do next When
the project manager of a large wind farm
construction project on the East coast had
such a scenario he was initially unsure.
Perhaps the military would
help
Unfortunately, they no longer provide
a guarantee of support to commercial
operations and do not undertake any work
outside the 12 mile limit. Unless there is an
immediate threat to life, a military response
is extremely unlikely. Within 24hrs of
being told this, the project manager called
Ramora UK.
Ramora UK
Since 2004, Ramora UK has been
working with the oil and gas sector to fill
the gap left by the Ministry of Defence
and also provide some technology based
solutions to this complex problem.
Case Study – UXO discovery
Following a short telephone conversation,
the Ramora UK Senior Explosives Officer
was invited to an emergency meeting in
Harwich. Less than six hours later, the
meeting was underway and despite the
aim being to gain an understanding of the
options available, the outcome was an
immediate mobilisation of the full Remote
Explosive Ordnance Disposal System
(REODS).
Mobilisation
Less than 36 hours after this initial meeting
the full REODS system had been mobilised
with vessel, Explosive Ordnance Disposal
(EOD) team and ROV to undertake an initial
assessment of the UXO.
Skills and experience
Utilising the skills and experience of former
Royal Navy Clearance Divers, under the
direction of a Mine Warfare and Clearance
Diving Officer, the team are well versed in
such operations and quickly determined
the type of UXO and the disposal
methodology.
Equipment
With all the equipment, including
explosives, embarked as a standard
protocol, the team had everything
necessary to undertake the safe disposal
of the munition with minimal fuss.
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