Session: 12-04-01 Blue Economy IV: Modular Marine Platforms: Wave Energy, Aquaculture Integration, and Ocean Sensing

Submission Number: 180421

OCG-Data - an Autonomous Multi-Instrument Platform for Ocean Resource Assessment 

The advancement of offshore renewable energy and marine conservation requires reliable high-resolution environmental data. Traditional ocean observation methods often involve separate campaigns for metocean conditions and ecological assessments, leading to increased costs and logistical complexity. The OCG-Data, an innovative, semi-submersible offshore structure developed by Ocergy, addresses these challenges by integrating multiple sensing systems into a single, autonomous platform designed for long-term deployment. It combines metocean monitoring with biodiversity assessment capabilities, enabling efficient site characterization for marine energy development while addressing critical gaps in biodiversity data collection and supporting sustainable marine ecosystem management.

At the core of the OCG-Data’s innovation is its robust and stable design, featuring a column-stabilized, single-point mooring system that allows the buoy to weathervane and maintain optimal orientation relative to prevailing environmental conditions. The structure consists of three outer columns connected to a central column via tensioned tendons, ensuring stability in high-wave and turbulent conditions. This design minimizes motion-induced disturbances, a critical factor for high-fidelity sensor measurements, particularly for LiDAR-based wind assessments. The buoy is engineered for a service life of 10 years, allowing for redeployment at different assessment sites.

The platform integrates advanced instrumentation, including a LiDAR and anemometer for wind profiling, a Sofar wave spotter for spectral wave data, radar for avian and bat tracking, and underwater cameras and biohuts for marine life observation. Energy autonomy is achieved through renewable solar and wind energy, with excess power stored in battery packs, enabling reliable operation of sophisticated instruments. Automated data pipelines ensure high-quality, near-real-time outputs by managing decoding, validation, and error correction.

The platform’s performance has been validated through the BLUE ORACLE demonstrator project, deployed in the Mediterranean Sea. Field results validate the platform’s resilience, with successful operation through extreme storms and near continuous operation since deployment. The platform exhibited 5\% less turbulence intensity compared to a reference floating LiDAR during a storm. Initial results from the 3D bird radar show promising detection and tracking performance, while a suite of underwater sensors has successfully identified species colonizing or sheltering near the platform.

Future development focuses on expanding analytical capabilities through advanced computer vision for automated marine life identification and machine learning for predictive energy management and performance optimization. These enhancements will increase operational efficiency and data quality while reducing human intervention. In summary, the OCG-Data represents a significant advancement in autonomous ocean observation technology. Its ability to simultaneously monitor metocean conditions and biodiversity supports regulatory compliance and improves stakeholder engagement by addressing ecological concerns early in project planning.

Presenting Author: Meera Kumar Ocergy, Inc.

Presenting Author Biography: Meera Kumar is a Data Engineer at Ocergy, overseeing the data pipeline lifecycle for offshore platform projects. Her work focuses on building a robust data pipeline to automate real time data acquisition and processing for offshore remote sensing. She leverages her background in chemical engineering (Caltech) and her master's in computer science to address challenges in renewable energy.

Authors:

Meera Kumar Ocergy, Inc.
Dominique Roddier Ocergy, Inc.
Franck Lebrun Ocergy, SAS
Andreas Smith DeTect, Inc.
Nathan Tom Ocergy, Inc.
Khoa Dang Ocergy, Inc.
Alexia Aubault Ocergy, Inc.