Energy transition company EnergyPathways has applied for a gas storage licence from the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) to advance its Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project, located offshore in the UK Irish Sea. Covering the company’s wholly-owned Marram Gas Field, the development aims to operate as a long-term, integrated storage facility for both natural gas and green hydrogen.
Once operational, MESH is expected to offer around 50 billion cubic feet of storage and provide up to 20 years of dependable energy supply to domestic and industrial users. EnergyPathways said the facility will play a critical role in addressing supply volatility, helping to stabilise energy prices for consumers.
The proposed site, about 11 miles off the Lancashire coast, is strategically positioned near major industrial demand centres and surrounded by 7-8 GW of existing and planned offshore wind capacity. It also benefits from proximity to late-life gas infrastructure and UK carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects.
Designed as a fully decarbonised, electrified facility powered by Irish Sea wind energy, MESH will operate with zero emissions from venting and flaring. In the long term, it could serve as a green hydrogen production and storage hub, using excess renewable electricity to generate hydrogen during periods of oversupply – potentially reducing wind curtailment costs projected to exceed £5 billion per year by 2035.
EnergyPathways confirmed that several major engineering and energy firms have expressed interest in partnering on the project, providing letters of support alongside the licence application. Chief Executive Officer Ben Clube said the application marks an important step in supporting UK energy resilience: “With gas storage at historically low levels, expanding domestic capacity is vital to ensure energy security and stability in a decarbonising system.”
If approved, the MESH licence will be integrated into EnergyPathways’ wider Marram Project development plan ahead of a final investment decision (FID).
