BOURBON (EPA:GBB) BOURBON strengthens its positions in offshore wind

Transparency directive : regulatory news

01/12/2011 19:00

Paris, December 1st, 2011

BOURBON strengthens its positions in offshore wind by installing an innovative
                        structure off the coast of Portugal

   BOURBON has installed a semi-submersible wind turbine. This groundbreaking
  project confirms the Group's capacity to adapt to specific client demands by
                          customizing its service offering.

WEBNEWS - Capitalizing on its experience and leadership in offshore oil and gas
marine services, BOURBON continues to extend its range of services and
strengthen its positions in the offshore wind industry. BOURBON has just
installed an innovative offshore wind structure in the Atlantic.

In perfect conditions off the coast of Portugal at Aguçadoura, BOURBON has
installed a semi-submersible wind turbine with a WindFloat foundation, a project
led by the Portuguese utility EDP and designed by the US technology developer
Principle Power. This innovative technology enables the wind turbine to be
assembled onshore with standard turbines, and then towed and anchored at a
sufficient distance so as not to be visible from the coast.

For the successful installation of its wind structure, Principle Power relied on
the maritime expertise of BOURBON's seafarer and engineering teams. " The high
level of BOURBON employees' expertise allowed for the successful deployment of
each step of the project : engineering and management, mooring system
installation and pre-tensioning, WindFloat towing and on-site mooring, subsea
installation and power connection," explains Eric Verrière, Managing Director
of Bourbon Offshore Surf, BOURBON's French subsidiary.

These operations were performed by Bourbon Liberty 228, an Anchor Handling Tug
Supply vessel (AHTS) from the BOURBON fleet. They demonstrate BOURBON's fleet
adaptability and confirm the Group's capacity to meet specific client needs.

"As of June 2010, BOURBON has been operating in offshore wind with the Bourbon
Enterprise" says Patrick Belenfant, Senior Vice-President Business Management,
Bourbon Subsea Services. "This IMR vessel (dedicated to Inspection, Maintenance
and Repair of subsea infrastructures) first intervened on the Greater Gabbard
Wind Farm, one of the biggest offshore installation projects off the South-East
coast of England, before joining the BARD Offshore 1 field off Germany and
ensuring operations until October 2011."

The success of the Principle Power project demonstrates BOURBON's capacity to
offer a comprehensive range of services to the offshore wind industry at every
stage of the operations:
  - in the exploration stage, through the BOURBON fleet of subsea exploration
    robots (light survey ROVs);
  - during the construction stage, using various vessels from the full range of
    BOURBON's fleet: IMR vessels for laying, connecting and burying cables on
    the seabed; AHTS, for towing the turbine; and crewboats for the transport of
    personnel;
  - in the maintenance stage, with IMR vessels; the accommodation capacity on
    these vessels also enables them to operate as a "flotel" for the reg ion.

At the same time, BOURBON's vessels are able to carry out support and
anti-pollution missions for other vessels in the region.

Diversification into offshore wind is part of the Group's expansion policy under
the "BOURBON 2015 Leadership Strategy" plan.

According to Christian Lefèvre, Chief Executive Officer of BOURBON:
"BOURBON has been actively involved in work on several wind farms since 2010,
and a number of other projects are due to be rolled out over the next 5 years.
BOURBON's fleet is ideally suited to providing solutions for the installation
and operation of wind farms. Wind is a promising complementary activity for our
offshore oil and gas marine service offering."

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BOURBON (EPA:GBB) BOURBON strengthens its positions in offshore wind

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