Cathie is proud to share that Megan Divilly will be presenting at the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston next month.
The paper, “Ground Modelling Unravels Lateral Soil Variability and Geohazards of the Atlantic Continental Shelf for Offshore Wind Development”, investigates how integrated geophysical and geotechnical interpretation can improve understanding of seabed conditions and geohazards across the U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) region, supporting more informed offshore wind development.
Site characterisation across the Atlantic OCS is critical to understanding seabed conditions that directly influence foundation design, cable routing, and overall project feasibility. The region’s geological framework is strongly influenced by glacial processes associated with the advance and retreat of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (circa 95–19 ka), with the Last Glacial Maximum boundary located near key wind development areas. These processes have produced a complex and spatially variable stratigraphic record, requiring both regional and site-specific interpretation to properly characterise development risk.
This study draws on Cathie’s decade of ground modelling experience in the region, integrating geophysical and geotechnical datasets to resolve lateral variability in sedimentological units. The analysis highlights the distribution of features such as outwash deposits, outburst flood materials, palaeochannels, and clinoform structures within shelf deposits, demonstrating the complexity of depositional environments across the OCS.
The work also identifies and discusses key geohazards relevant to offshore wind development, including the presence of glauconitic soils, mobile seabed features, and ice-related deposits. In particular, glauconitic soils remain poorly understood in terms of spatial variability. Observations of seabed mobility suggest that features may not be uniformly dynamic across the region, while evidence of soil consolidation south of the LGM boundary indicates that ice sheet influence may extend further than previously assumed, affecting engineering soil behaviour over large distances.
By combining regional-scale geological understanding with detailed ground models and site investigation data, this study demonstrates how recognising spatial variability can significantly improve site characterisation strategies. The approach supports more efficient marine survey design, reduces uncertainty in geotechnical design inputs, and enhances confidence in offshore wind infrastructure planning, ultimately contributing to safer, faster, and more cost-effective project development.
Attendees at the Offshore Technology Conference are encouraged to attend Megan’s session to hear the findings in full and discuss how integrated ground modelling approaches can improve geotechnical understanding and design confidence in complex offshore environments.
Where to find us
Megan Divilly will be presenting on Monday 4th May at 12:10pm in Room 300 at the Offshore Technology Conference.
Attendees can join the session to hear the full presentation and engage in discussion.
Paper now available to download here.
Technical contributions to leading industry conferences
Cathie regularly contributes to leading industry conferences through the presentation of technical papers that advance understanding in offshore geoscience and engineering. This ongoing engagement reflects our commitment to sharing practical insights from site investigation and ground modelling programmes across the global offshore energy sector.
Looking ahead, Cathie will also be presenting multiple papers at the upcoming International Conference on Soil Mechanics and Geotechnical Engineering in Vienna, further showcasing our work in and commitment to the industry, stay tuned!