Infrastrata intends to make a significant contribution to the UK’s energy infrastructure and plans to acquire and develop a portfolio of gas storage assets in the UK and internationally.

Infrastrata currently has two active projects which could between them provide up to approximately 42 million cubic metres of gas on a cold winter day (about 10% of the total UK and Ireland peak daily demand).

All-weather information boards erected by the Portland Gas Trust at the Old Engine Shed, East Weares describing how the site and surrounding land was used in the 19th Century, April 2010

Portland Project, Dorset
At a projected 1,000 million cubic metres (“mcm”) or 35 billion cubic feet (“bcf”) of working gas, the facility would be the largest of the publically announced onshore gas storage facilities in the UK. Planning permission was granted by Dorset County Council in May 2008 and Pipeline Construction Authorisation was granted by the BERR (now known as the Department of Energy and Climate Change) in July 2008. The gas storage facility is designed to inject or withdraw gas at 20mcm per day. The current estimate of total development cost for the project is £456m. The project will use brine compensation technology and will not require cushion gas.

Project advisor, BNP Paribas, is working on the development of a project financing structure. In November 2009 the European Investment Bank listed the Portland Project in its pipeline of projects under appraisal. The pipeline of projects under appraisal by the EIB are listed on their website. In December 2009, Atkins Limited (“Atkins”) was appointed as the Lenders’ technical advisor and in March 2010 Atkins produced a technical due diligence report after completing the first of two phases of technical due-diligence.

Islandmagee Storage Project, Northern Ireland
The proposed 500mcm (18 bcf) facility will be the largest on the island of Ireland and make a significant contribution to the security of gas supplies. Infrastrata plc has a 65% interest in the project. Its partner in the project is a subsidiary of Mutual Energy Limited, the owner of the Scotland to Northern Ireland gas pipeline. The facility is being designed to inject gas at 12mcm and withdraw gas at 22mcm per day. The cost of construction has been estimated at circa £250m, including cushion gas. Successful public exhibitions were held on Islandmagee in June 2009 and October 2009.

Planning and Hazardous Substances Consent Applications were submitted in March 2010 to the Strategic Projects Unit of the Northern Ireland Planning Service.

In February 2010, Paddy Larkin, the CEO of Mutual Energy Limited, was appointed as a Non-executive Director of Islandmagee Storage Limited. In April 2010, William Cargo, former Executive Director of Mutual Energy Limited was also appointed as a Non-executive Director.

Find out more about the project.

Continental Europe Projects
Infrastrata has made applications for exploration licences in Germany and Spain.

Find out more about the projects.