Spanish cabinet OKs Gas Natural project for Marismas gas storage

Chemical News: Spanish cabinet OKs Gas Natural project for Marismas gas storage

https://www.chemnet.com Jul 19,2011 Platts
Spain's cabinet given the go-ahead for Gas Natural Fenosa to explore the possibility of converting three depleted gas fields in southern Spain into gas storage sites.

Gas Natural Fenosa's subsidiary Petroleum Oil & Gas Espana will be allowed to conduct tests on the Marismas B-1, Marismas C-2 and Marismas A fields, which it formerly operated, to see if they can be converted for storing natural gas, Spain's government said in a note posted on its web site Friday.

Spain, which is the closest landing point for Algerian natural gas in Europe, hopes to increase its capacity for natural gas storage. According to the country's industry ministry, existing storage can only meet 7% of annual demand compared to the European mean of 22%.

The gas fields in question are in Almonte, in the southern Huelva province. Gas Natural was the original operator of the fields, which produced gas during the 1980s and 1990s.

Spain currently operates two gas storage sites through the transmission operator Enagas. The first is at Serrablo, which can hold 1.1 billion cubic meters and the second, an offshore site at Gaviota, with a capacity of 2.68 Bcm.

A third site, at Yela, with a capacity of 1.95 Bcm, is due to come online during the course of this year. A further four sites are in various stages of development, according to Enagas data.

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