LDD wins major renewables contract in the Bay of Liverpool, UK

LDD will commission what is believed to be the world’s largest and most-powerful reverse-circulation drill,
and four of its specialist engineers will operate the drill from on board RWE’s installation vessel later this
year when the offshore development work begins.

The Gwynt y Môr project consists of 160 turbines producing a total of 576 MW of energy, two offshore
substations, a large new onshore substation and 11 km of underground cabling. It is a shared investment
between partners RWE Innogy, Stadtwerke München GmbH and Siemens. Once fully operational, Gwynt y
Môr wind farm is expected to produce energy equivalent to the average annual needs of around 400,000
homes.

Drilling will be undertaken using the new LDD-designed LD5000 drill rig. The bottomhole assembly will be
configured to drill a standard 4.3-m-diameter rock socket, which can be increased up to 6 m in diameter by
engaging the drill bit underreamers. Sister company MENCK is providing its MHU1900S piling hammer for
the project.

Mark Richards, vice president, LDD, said, “Designing the drill bit with the capacity to expand to 6 m
presented a significant engineering challenge to our designers. We have worked to ensure the equipment
will be ready and in place for the start of the offshore works.

“This is our first contract in the renewables market, but our team of specialist engineers brings years of
offshore drilling experience from the oil and gas industries. This contract for Gwynt y Môr is an exciting
development in our plant holding and a strong statement of our intent to serve the offshore renewables
foundation installation market.”

RWE npower renewables Gwynt y Môr project director, Toby Edmonds, said, “LDD demonstrated huge
enthusiasm and commitment to the project during the tender process, and we are very pleased to engage
it to provide relief drilling services.”

LDD has been contracted to provide continuous relief drilling services for two years throughout the offshore
construction of the Gwynt y Môr wind farm.

RWE npower renewables is the UK subsidiary of RWE Innogy and is one of the UK's leading renewable
energy developers and operators. It is committed to developing and operating wind farms and hydro and
biomass plants to produce sustainable electricity. The company operates 19 hydroelectric power projects
and 26 wind farms in the UK, including the country's first major offshore wind farm, North Hoyle. For further
information about RWE npower renewables and RWE Innogy, visit www.npower-renewables.com and
www.rweinnogy.com. For further information about RWE npower visit www.rwenpower.com.
 

For further details, please contact Mark Richards
Tel: +44 (0)1209 861910
Mob: +44 (0)7584 236256
Email: mark.richards@lddrill.com