Plans to establish a large-scale gas and hydrogen storage facility in the North Sea have advanced with the awarding of significant contracts.
EnergyPathways PLC has obtained approval for licence operatorship for its Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project, which is set to become the UK’s largest offshore storage site, capable of holding more than 500 million therms of energy.
The company has also chosen Aberdeen-based PDi to deliver engineering study assistance for the Marram field development and the connection of MESH.
This selection follows the recent announcement of Wood PLC as the main engineering partner for the project.
In a market update this morning, Ben Clube, CEO of EnergyPathways, stated: “We are delighted to announce the NSTA’s approval for the Licence Operatorship for Marram Block 110/4a which is an endorsement by government authorities of our operating capabilities and is a necessary milestone to keep us on track towards our plans to achieve FID (final investment decision) on MESH later this year.
“We are also pleased to welcome PDi into the MESH consortium, providing support to EnergyPathways as we progress MESH through the pre-FEED process. PDi is a highly experienced UK company that is a leader in the provision of project management with specific subsea capabilities relevant to MESH.
“This winter’s conditions highlight the importance of the need to increase the UK’s natural gas and energy storage capacity to improve its energy security and to alleviate the impact of volatile global energy prices on UK household budgets.”
MESH is a new large-scale energy storage project anticipated to deliver a reliable and consistent supply of natural gas and green hydrogen to the UK market for over two decades. Production operations are projected to commence by the end of 2029, ensuring a stable and secure energy supply for the UK. MESH has been designed as a fully decarbonised and electrified zero-emission facility, powered by renewable wind farms located in the UK Irish Sea region. EnergyPathways aims to take a prominent role in facilitating the UK’s energy transition and the advancement of a hydrogen economy.