UK — Wood has been awarded a significant contract by Centrica Energy Storage (CES) to redevelop the UK’s Rough field for future hydrogen storage.
This project marks a crucial step towards enhancing the UK’s energy security and advancing its industrial decarbonisation goals.
The Rough reservoir, situated in the Southern North Sea, has safely stored natural gas for over three decades.
With its potential to meet more than half of the UK’s hydrogen storage needs, the site is poised to play a pivotal role in the nation’s transition to cleaner energy sources.
Under the front-end engineering design (FEED) contract, Wood will oversee the development of new pipelines, an unmanned installation, and onshore injection facilities at the Easington Gas Terminal.
These improvements are essential for preparing the field for hydrogen storage.
Steve Nicol, Executive President of Operations at Wood, emphasised the project’s importance: “We are proud to be a part of this innovative redevelopment project, critical to both the UK’s long-term energy security and its industrial decarbonisation commitments.
“Hydrogen, alongside offshore wind and carbon capture and storage, is vital to the UK’s net zero ambition and will be key to decarbonising industries, transport and power.”
Martin Scargill, Managing Director of Centrica Energy Storage, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership: “We have huge ambitions for the future of Rough and our partnership with Wood is an important stepping stone on the path to realising those ambitions.
“We are ready to invest in futureproofing this critical asset subject to agreeing a regulatory support model that would underpin gas storage investment in the UK.”
The contract is expected to create approximately 50 new jobs in the UK, further boosting the local economy.
However, it’s worth noting that the final investment decision for the Rough Redevelopment project hinges on the establishment of a government support model for gas storage investment in the UK.
CES has recently announced its ambition to transform the Rough field into the world’s largest long-duration hydrogen storage facility.
This project aligns with the UK’s broader efforts to achieve net-zero emissions and solidify its position as a leader in sustainable energy solutions.
