Venterra company GeoForce wins geotechnical survey contract from Reach Subsea for Shetland HVDC Link 2

Wednesday 25 March, London, UK: GeoForce Technical Services, part of Oceanscan and the wider Venterra Group, has been selected by Reach Subsea to deliver the geotechnical component of a wider offshore survey campaign for the Shetland HVDC Link 2– a nationally significant programme to strengthen Great Britain’s transmission network and support future renewable energy growth.

Running from late February to August 2026, the six‑month campaign for Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks Transmission (SSEN Transmission) will support the development of a ~330‑kilometre, 2 GW subsea connection between Shetland and the Scottish mainland, forming part of SSEN Transmission’s long‑term “Beyond 2030” strategic network plan.

As part of its scope, GeoForce will deliver specialist geotechnical acquisition and analysis, including seabed characterisation, sediment analysis and cone penetration testing. These insights will feed directly into route optimisation and installation design, giving SSEN Transmission a higher‑resolution understanding of subsurface conditions and de‑risking engineering decisions ahead of cable installation. This work is essential to ensuring the subsea cable can be routed and installed safely, efficiently and effectively across varied offshore conditions.

The contract award builds on the established relationship between GeoForce and Reach Subsea across previous offshore site investigation projects, bringing together complementary expertise to accelerate high‑quality, decision‑ready data delivery.

James McDonald, Managing Director of GeoForce Technical Services, said:

“We’re proud to support Reach Subsea on a project of this scale and national importance. By delivering fast, accurate geotechnical insight, we help transform complex seabed conditions into confident engineering decisions – strengthening the UK’s future transmission network and contributing to a more resilient, clean‑energy system. This award reflects the depth of our continued collaboration with Reach and the trust placed in us to support SSEN Transmission’s future network ambitions.”

Alastair McKie, Managing Director at Reach Subsea UK, said:

“GeoForce provides specialist geotechnical expertise that will play a key role in the success of our campaign with SSEN Transmission. Their capabilities complement our integrated project delivery onboard our vessels and will help ensure we acquire the high-resolution seabed data needed to support SSEN Transmission’s design and routing activities, while maintaining the highest standards of safety.”

GeoForce’s contribution also supports the broader role of its parent company, Venterra, in enabling offshore wind growth and subsea infrastructure development through its specialist businesses across the project lifecycle, from early‑stage analysis through to offshore execution.