Geo-logging company uses new technologies to capture data for £1.5bn UK hydroelectric scheme
Geo-logging company uses new technologies to capture data for £1.5bn UK hydroelectric scheme
Conwy-based Robertson Geo has successfully completed a major geophysical logging campaign at Coire Glas, the UK’s most significant hydro storage project since the construction of Dinorwig Power Station in the 1980s.
The landmark project, located on the banks of Loch Lochy near Inverness, is being developed by SSE Renewables and is poised to provide up to 1,300MW of storage capacity — enough to power three million homes within minutes.
Robertson Geo, a global leader in borehole geophysical and petrophysical logging technologies, was contracted by Strabag UK Ltd to support one of the most extensive ground investigations of its kind. The company deployed a suite of specialist probes within an exploratory tunnel more than one kilometre long and 700 metres below the surface.
“This was a challenging and unprecedented task,” said Robertson Geo Managing Director Simon Garantini. “We were required to deploy equipment and develop techniques never previously used, including a 2,000-metre winch within a safety cage, to meet the complex demands of the project.”
The extensive ground investigation was essential given the site’s location near the Great Glen Fault — a geological feature visible from space. The work involved three underground galleries from which a series of horizontal and angled boreholes were drilled, including boreholes for high-resolution imaging and stress testing.
The investigation operated around the clock, with two alternating teams working in 12-hour shifts to gather a high volume of critical geotechnical data. Garantini noted that underground logistics were particularly complex, with equipment needing to be transported in tight, active environments.
“The most challenging aspect was the development and deployment of a bespoke ‘push’ system to insert logging tools into horizontal boreholes up to 280 metres in length — a significant scale-up from our previous experience with similar systems,” he explained.
Additional engineering challenges included designing manual systems for raised boreholes up to 22 metres long, managing sensitive electronics in damp and noisy conditions, and maintaining data integrity under difficult circumstances.
Despite the hurdles, the team delivered what Garantini described as “high-quality, calibrated geophysical data at centimetre-level resolution,” which will play a critical role in shaping the project’s next phase.
Robertson Geo operates globally from its headquarters in Wales and locations in the US and Hong Kong, supplying geophysical logging services and equipment to over 160 countries through a network of more than 25 approved agents.
The Coire Glas scheme, once completed, is expected to significantly enhance the UK’s renewable energy infrastructure, improving grid flexibility and energy security during periods of peak demand.
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