Oil & Gas

The North Sea hydrogen storage project is advancing with a major new development, following the appointment of a world-renowned consulting and engineering firm. Centrica Energy Storage has chosen Exceed, alongside Wood, as key partners for the redevelopment of the Rough gas field in the UK’s Southern North Sea, according to updates from the Washington-based Specialized Energy Platform.

This project is part of a broader effort to convert the UK's largest gas storage facility, RAVH2, into a hydrogen-ready facility capable of storing up to 260 billion cubic feet of gas.

Centrica has also outlined its ambition for the RAF field to become the world’s largest long-term hydrogen storage facility. However, the final investment decision for the RAF redevelopment project hinges on securing a government support model that will facilitate further investment in gas storage in the UK.

As part of the engineering design contract for the North Sea gas field redevelopment, Exceed will manage subsurface engineering operations, field redevelopment planning, and well design for the project. This follows Exceed's completion of the pre-engineering design phase for the RAF redevelopment and an 8-month transitional engineering study for carbon capture and storage in support of Centrica and Spirit Energy's Morecambe carbon neutrality initiative in the East Irish Sea.

Ian Mills, Managing Director of Exceed, emphasized the significance of the project, stating, “RAVh2 is crucial to the UK’s energy transition. This contract highlights the importance of transferring well and reservoir management capabilities, and we’re proud to be part of this groundbreaking project.” The RAF reservoir, located in the southern North Sea, has safely stored natural gas for over 30 years and could potentially meet more than half of the UK’s hydrogen storage needs. This project is expected to bolster the UK’s energy security, create nearly 4,000 jobs, and help lower energy costs.