Four-slot unmanned gas platform planned for Irish Sea Marram energy hub

EnergyPathways has revealed more details of its planned Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) in the East Irish Sea and the technical design for the development’s initial phase.

The company has conducted studies for the pre-FEED process with partners Mermaid Subsea Services (UK) and PDi.

MESH will be an integrated energy system, connecting gas production, gas storage, hydrogen storage and offshore wind to provide energy to the UK. Offshore production operations will be fully electrified and powered by renewable energy.

The design also involves repurposing existing late-life gas infrastructure to serve as a future energy hub.

Initially, the focus will be on developing the offshore Marram gas field as a gas storage and production complex, with FID expected at the end of this year, enabling production to start in late 2027.

EnergyPathways plans to install:

• A new unmanned offshore platform (Marram A) with four well slots, powered by wind, solar and batteries;
• Two initial Phase 1 production wells, both to be drilled in spring 2027, followed by two more Phase 2 wells for gas storage in spring 2029; and
• A new 9-km pipeline connecting Marram A to an existing gas export trunkline, following cessation of production from a late-life gas field in the area.

Phases 1 and 2 will store an estimated 500-600 MM therms of gas with withdrawal and injection rates of 1.7-2 MM therms/d of gas.

MESH has sent storage license application requests to the North Sea Transition Authority for the undeveloped Knox and Lowry gas fields, both of which it believes are suited to gas storage.

Talks continue with various parties on connecting the region's wind power sources and access stranded gas in the East Irish Sea with the MESH decarbonized energy hub.