The inaugural Mick Cook Award for Significant Contribution to Marine Site Investigation and Characterisation was given to Tor Inge Tjelta at the Society for Underwater Technology’s (SUT) ninth International Offshore Site Investigation (OSIG) Conference “Innovation Geotechnologies for Energy Transition” held in September at Imperial College London. Tjelta received a prize of £1,000, a trophy and a certificate.

Tjelta’s award recognizes his many creative contributions to offshore site investigations and geotechnical engineering. The SUT’s Award panel honored his integrated geological, geophysical and geotechnical approach for complex settings, ranging from hazardous Caspian Sea conditions to the Dogger Bank glaciotectonic sequences. 

Tjelta has contributed immensely to the industry over the past 40+ years. The panel also noted his pioneering role in advancing sampling, in-situ and laboratory testing techniques, his fundamental role in developing deep skirted gravity base solutions, and his effective championing of suction caisson pile technology. He played an exemplary role in proving these novel developments through instrumented field testing and monitoring and advanced analysis.

The Mick Cook Award will run annually and is open to all working in the field of marine site investigations and characterizations globally.

The call for nominations for the 2024 award will open in June 2024.

Learn more here.