Optimizing Jack-up vessel strategies for maintaining offshore wind farms

Abstract

In this paper we present a new two-stage stochastic mathematical programming model that determines the optimal jack-up vessel strategy for an offshore wind farm. Given an offshore wind farm site, and distance to shore the model decides when, and for how long, a jack-up vessel should be chartered in order to minimize the total expected cost. The model considers both chartering and operational costs of the jack-up vessels, and the downtime costs of the wind farm which occurs when the wind turbines are not producing electricity. The model considers uncertainty both in the weather conditions and in when and how many components fail each year at the wind farm.