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Offshore wind and wider marine energy operators have to execute intrusive seabed work (route preparation, export/inter-array cable installation, trenching, dredging, foundations) in areas where potential UXO is a known, managed risk. Surveys can identify anomalies, but the operational challenge is what happens next: decisions must be made quickly on avoidance vs clearance, and clearance activity can become a critical path driver for construction schedules and vessel time. Offshore wind guidance specifically exists to support best-practice geophysical surveying for UXO and boulders because this is such a common constraint in cable installation programmes.Â
When clearance is required, operators face several pressures at once:
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Safety and assurance: teams need a disposal method that’s controlled and repeatable, with a clear firing chain and reliable initiation in harsh marine conditions.
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Environmental and consenting constraints: high-order clearances can drive additional mitigation planning (e.g., marine mammal mitigation protocols) and greater stakeholder sensitivity—so there’s a growing preference to use low order techniques where feasible, and regulators explicitly note this direction in project documentation.Â
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Programme and cost: UXO detection and clearance is widely recognised as time-consuming and costly; anything that reduces complexity, rework, or repeat visits has direct value to developers and contractors.Â
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Operational realities: poor visibility, currents, depth limits, and access restrictions mean solutions must be ROV/deployable, stable on the seabed, and adaptable to different targets and scenarios—without locking capability to a single vehicle or a bespoke setup.
This is where your products map cleanly to what energy-sector operators care about: controlled low-order options as an alternative to high-order detonation (where appropriate), ROV-integrated placement/disposal systems, reliable stand-off initiation, and practical recovery/handling tools that help teams stay on schedule while improving safety and reducing environmental burden. Evidence-based industry discussions (e.g., offshore wind developer business cases) highlight the shift away from high-order detonation because of its potential impacts, and the operational value of low-order approaches.
Why Special Projects
What Energy clients value in Special Projects
Special Projects operates as a technical partner rather than a volume supplier. Our approach is built around engineering integrity, practical delivery, and long-term trust, ensuring every solution is designed to perform in real-world conditions.
Every project begins with the problem, not a product. We take the time to understand operational constraints, end-user requirements, and environmental conditions, allowing us to design solutions that are genuinely fit for purpose rather than adapted from generic platforms.
Projects are led by engineers from initial engagement through to delivery. Requirements are defined collaboratively, with careful consideration of operational context, environmental conditions, safety constraints, and integration with existing systems. This ensures design decisions are grounded in reality rather than assumption.
Every stage is handled internally, from concept through to deployment. By keeping design, engineering, integration, and testing under one roof, we maintain complete oversight of quality, timelines, and performance.
This approach removes the friction of fragmented supply chains and ensures accountability sits in one place. Clients work directly with the people responsible for delivery, enabling faster decisions, clearer communication, and solutions that are cohesive rather than pieced together.
Projects benefit from continuity of knowledge throughout their lifecycle, reducing risk and ensuring that what is designed is practical, buildable, and fully aligned with operational needs.
Innovation only has value when it works in the real world. Our focus is on developing solutions that improve reliability, efficiency, and safety in demanding operational environments, rather than pursuing novelty for its own sake.
We combine proven engineering principles with emerging technologies where they deliver measurable benefits. Each design decision is tested against real-world constraints, ensuring new ideas translate into dependable outcomes rather than theoretical advantages. The result is innovation that is grounded, purposeful, and capable of delivering long-term value in live operational settings.
Many of the environments we operate in require a high degree of confidentiality and professionalism. We understand the importance of safeguarding sensitive information, respecting operational protocols, and maintaining trust at every stage of a project.
Our team works with discretion and integrity, ensuring that client data, intellectual property, and operational details are handled with care. Communication is clear, controlled, and aligned with each client’s preferred level of visibility. This commitment allows us to support organisations working in complex or high-stakes sectors with confidence, reliability, and complete professionalism.
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Insights into how Special Projects designs, devleops, and delivers bespoke solutions to complex technical challenges, from concept through to deployment.