The case for underground gas storage (UGS) : a report submitted by the BGS to the House of Lords inquiry into European Union energy policy : gas supply and access

Evans, D.J.; Holloway, S.; Riley, N.J.. 2004 The case for underground gas storage (UGS) : a report submitted by the BGS to the House of Lords inquiry into European Union energy policy : gas supply and access. Nottingham, UK, British Geological Survey, 9pp. (British Geological Survey Occasional Publication, 5). (Unpublished)

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Abstract/Summary

1. In Western Europe, gas penetration in the residential and commercial sectors has now reached about 44%. In line with this trend, UK gas consumption has more than doubled over the past ten years, and gas now holds a key position as an energy source, both as a primary fuel (for heating and cooking) and for electricity generation. 2. The gas supply industry has to adjust to very wide seasonal variations in consumption due to rapidly changing electricity, heating and air conditioning requirements. 3. Thanks to its huge reserves of North Sea gas and oil, Britain is the only G7 country other than Canada still largely self-sufficient in energy. The UK continues to enjoy a high level of diversity and security of supply, but this is changing rapidly. 4. Although the UK is still a net exporter of natural gas, there are times during peak demand when it has to import foreign gas to meet its needs. In the course of 2000, the UK imported about 2% of its gas demand of about 97 bcm (billion cubic metres) per year. The DTI projections are of UK gas import dependency rising to more than 58% of demand by 2010, and 90% of demand by 2020. National Grid Transco predicts that net imports of gas will exceed domestic production in 2008-9 and will reach 70% by 2014. 5. Our coming reliance on "less secure" external supply sources makes it necessary to be on guard against any risk of supply shortages or major disruption, be it technical as in an accident (such as the explosion at the Esso Longford gas plant in 1998 in Victoria, Australia, which disrupted supplies across the State for nearly two weeks), or political such as following a terrorist attack.