Data collection, characterization and design basis support

The Challenge

Accurate environmental characterization is fundamental to the safe, cost-effective design and operation of offshore infrastructure. Whether designing a new offshore wind farm, planning subsea installations, or managing operations in ice-prone regions, a thorough understanding of local metocean and ice conditions is critical. This knowledge informs vessel design, infrastructure resilience, operational planning, and risk mitigation – helping reduce downtime and enhance safety throughout the asset lifecycle.

Our Solution

C-CORE provides comprehensive environmental data collection and design basis development services, supporting both deterministic and reliability-based design approaches. Our structured methodology begins with identifying the appropriate datasets – whether historical hindcast records, in-situ measurements, or newly acquired region-specific observations – and culminates in a detailed, defensible Design Basis Report.

Our environmental characterization services include:

  • Metocean analysis: Assessment of wind, wave, current, fog, vessel icing, sea surface temperature, and air temperature using regional hindcast datasets and public archives. Notably, C-CORE developed Insight, a comprehensive metocean study for Nalcor (now OilCo), which also compared offshore Newfoundland conditions with analogous environments such as the Barents Sea, North Sea, East and West Greenland, and the Canadian Arctic.
  • Ice and iceberg assessments: We use satellite and airborne remote sensing, field observations, and in-situ measurements to determine iceberg size, shape, location, and density, as well as sea ice concentration, floe size, and type. C-CORE maintains one of the world’s most comprehensive databases of ice features, including nearly 200 high-resolution 3D iceberg profiles collected using our Rapid Iceberg Profiling System (RIPS) – capable of delivering processed data within one hour.
  • Impact and interaction studies: To understand and model seabed structure interactions with ice, we developed the Rapid High Impact Testing Apparatus (RHITA) a 2 MN self-reacting test frame capable of simulating keel impacts on subsea pipelines, flowlines, and cables. RHITA also supports testing of hull panels and other structural elements under realistic high-force conditions.
  • Ship-based load monitoring: C-CORE has designed and deployed onboard load measurement systems, including a custom strain gauge array installed on the Swedish icebreaker Frej. Our team managed the design, calibration, and participated in the operational data collection voyage, delivering high-fidelity ice interaction data under real-world conditions.

C-CORE’s environmental and design basis support enables clients to reduce uncertainty, optimize design margins, and meet regulatory requirements with confidence – ensuring robust performance in some of the world’s most demanding offshore environments.

View more of our solutions

Here