The company is, however, hoping to secure approval in the short term for a low-key project that seeks to harness gas that already exists in the field as the basis for an increasingly important low-carbon commercial vehicle fuel. Production of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) would involve only one lorry calling at the site each day to collect LNG, with control being handled remotely. It would not require any pipelines as would have been needed to progress a gas storage scheme.
A spokesman for the company said: “We are obviously disappointed that we are not currently in a position to pursue a gas storage scheme. While the geological structure at Albury would be suitable for gas storage, the economics of the project are not sufficiently robust to justify the investment at this time.
“It is a project that we could return to in the future if the economics change or if there are technical advances. In the meantime, there is now a growing market for LNG in the UK and it makes good sense to use the valuable resource that is there.”
LNG is simply natural gas that has been super-cooled to minus 162 degrees C. At that temperature, it condenses to become a liquid that occupies 600 times less space than the equivalent gas and makes it economic to transport long distances. It can then be used as a fuel or warmed to bring it back to its gaseous state.
Star Energy’s interest in LNG at Albury relates to moving it only within the UK for use in its liquid form as a valuable low-carbon alternative to diesel. LNG burns more cleanly and quietly than diesel and emits substantially less pollutants.
The production process is a relatively simple one in which gas is pre-treated and filtered to remove impurities. The cleaned gas is then refrigerated to reduce its temperature and liquefy it. Some gas would be used to generate on-site electricity so that the plant would be self-sufficient. The end product is then pumped to a storage tank from which a tanker would load on a daily basis.
The company is in the early stages of preparing a planning application and will provide more detail to the Albury Parish Council liaison group in due course. Most of the plant required would be built off-site and delivered by lorry for connection and commissioning.
You can view a copy of Star Energy's presentation to the working group that operates with Albury Parish Council here.
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