Centrica to invest £16m in Morecambe Bay gas

A new project to boost gas production from Morecambe Bay is set to take Centrica Energy’s current investment in the region past the £100m mark and unlock new gas reserves.

The £16m project, which will create 80 jobs for the duration of the campaign, involves installing new equipment on the North Morecambe platform, which will use the high pressure of the nearby Rhyl field to boost the pressure and production from the wells in the North Morecambe field.

“Fresh investment in innovative technology like the North Morecambe Project will breathe new life into one of the most important hubs in our business.”

The North Morecambe platform is normally unmanned, however the teams will be working from a jack-up barge, the Seajacks Kraken that will be arriving in Morecambe Bay later this month. The use of the self-propelled barge means the project teams can “walk to work” across a gangway connecting the barge to the platform, rather than relying on daily helicopter flights offshore.

The Barrow Terminals Project, which began last year, involves laying a new underground pipeline from the South to the North gas terminal, as well as carrying out essential works on the gas processing facilities. In partnership with the two main contractors, Costain and Land & Marine, the project has created 100 new jobs, from engineers and health and safety advisors to administrative support teams, and is expected to be completed this winter.