Geotechnical Investigations

We deliver year-round geotechnical and environmental site investigations that provide the ground truth needed for safe, efficient offshore execution.

AGR Marine provides vessel-based geotechnical and environmental investigations supporting offshore wind, oil & gas, and marine infrastructure projects. We deliver integrated site investigation programmes, from planning and permitting through offshore execution and reporting, so clients can make confident decisions for foundation, anchor, route and installation design, backed by our robust QA/QC and reliable offshore delivery.

Built for the realities of the North Sea, our approach prioritises operational continuity, resilience and safety in increasingly unpredictable weather windows.

The geotechnical survey challenges we help clients solve

Offshore site investigations are often constrained by:

• Short weather windows and increasing seasonal unpredictability
• Rising vessel rates and subsea engineering costs, increasing pressure on budgets and execution strategies
• Long planning horizons and lead times, making it harder to secure the right resources when schedules shift
• Downtime risk from vessel, spread, or scope misalignment
• Complex permitting and regulatory interfaces across jurisdictions
• Data quality and traceability requirements for engineering assurance
• The need to combine in-situ testing, sampling, and interpretation into one coherent ground model
• Tight schedules where survey outcomes must feed directly into design and installation planning

Our dynamic project support for end-to-end geotechnical investigations

Through our dynamic project support (DPS) model, we optimise every phase of the survey for safety, efficiency, compliance, and environmental responsibility — from early definition to final project deliverables. By aligning scope with real-world conditions and leveraging multipurpose vessels and fit-for-purpose investigation packages, we minimise downtime and maximise performance without compromising crew safety or comfort.

Operations are supported by our ISO-aligned processes and a dedicated HSEQ team, ensuring consistent delivery across projects. Since 2017, our team (formerly Ross Offshore) has provided geotechnical survey management services and delivered a strong portfolio of seabed investigation projects across the Norwegian Continental Shelf and the wider North Sea.

Forward slots to protect budget and schedule

To help clients manage market pressure, we offer forward vessel slots well in advance so you can secure critical resources early without unnecessary cost escalation. We are driving sustainability not only through environmental performance, but also by protecting project economics and reducing cost volatility in addition to keeping project execution predictable.

Our solutions in geotechnical and environmental investigations

Using our dynamically positioned geotechnical investigation vessel, M/V Ross Eagle, our geotechnical ground investigations include:

• Geotechnical investigation and sampling
• CPT (200kN – TD 50m*)
• Coring by drilling (4” – TD 18m*)
• Gravity coring (12te – TD 12m*)
• Vibrocore (TD 12m*)
• Sample handling and testing support (scope-dependent) to ensure results are usable for design and assurance
• Project management
• Design basis development and management of engineering
• Desktop studies
• Regulatory interfacing and permitting support
• Offshore quality assurance
• Reporting, documentation and traceability

Our geotechnical expertise includes deep and shallow Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), coring, vibrocorer operations, grab sampling, and baseline sediment analysis. Laboratory testing and geomechanical analysis provide the parameters required for foundation design, cable burial assessment, jack-up evaluation, and drilling operations.

We also deliver AUV and ROV reconnaissance surveys, environmental mapping, and 2D UHRS surveys to support pipeline, cable, and wreck investigations.