Dr Frank Tauchnitz, WSUK's Managing Director, said: "We are delighted that the Secretary of State has reached this decision after careful consideration of our proposal. The Consent represents the successful culmination of a long and detailed process. We are pleased that during this period we have developed and maintained a good relationship with the community in and around Saltfleetby. WINGAS Storage UK Ltd will now proceed with the process to take the final investment decision. Storage operations are planned to start in 2013".
WINGAS Storage UK Ltd is ultimately owned by WINGAS GmbH & Co. KG and ZMB Gasspeicherholding GmbH, a subsidiary of GAZPROM Germania GmbH.
The UK's need for a greater volume of gas storage, driven by the decline in production form the UK Continental Shelf, has been apparent for some time. The UK has storage capacity of only 4% of its annual consumption, significantly below the average for the larger gas consuming countries of Europe. This creates risks to the continuity of supplies
Underground gas storage is largely carried out in either a depleted reservoir or in caverns specially created in salt strata. Saltfleetby is a depleted reservoir. The gas-holding strata are some 2.3km below ground level. It was formerly the largest onshore gas field in the UK. When filled, it will hold 755 million cubic metres of gas which will normally be released in the winter period over a period of about 100 days. Re-filling will be carried out in the summer. Saltfleetby is in Lincolnshire, 9 kilometres east of Louth and a similar distance from the National Transmission System entry point at Theddlethorpe to which it will be connected by pipeline.
26 Ноября 2024 | вторник | 23:03
