The project has two potential phases which would together enable sufficient gas to be stored to meet the needs of some 450,000 homes.
Albury 1 would involve storing some six billion cubic feet of gas in the existing field. Up to four new development wells would be drilled into the field from the existing wellsite at Albury, which would also have pipeline connections. The pipeline would run northwards from Albury to a proposed gas processing facility near Send Prison, and then on to connect to the gas grid near West Horsley. In May 2008, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, John Hutton, gave us the go-ahead to make a formal application for underground storage under the Gas Act 1965. This, together with planning applications for the above ground facilities, will be submitted later this year.
Albury 2 could involve storing a further 24 billion cubic feet of gas in underlying strata. In July 2008, we received planning permission from Surrey County Council temporary appraisal drilling, which is needed to assess the suitability of the field for this potential further phase. Initial work is likely to start in September with drilling following in October / November.
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Pictured: Humbly Grove Gas Store |
