Spirit Energy has awarded Shearwater the responsibility of conducting their seismic survey, which aims to gather and process an estimated five hundred square kilometers of high-resolution 3D seismic data. This survey will be carried out over the Morecambe Bay gas fields and it will be used to determine the definition of the potential carbon storage sites.

Although this site has had surveys carried out on it before, this survey will collect results that have a much higher resolution dataset than has been previously used. The technology used on this data set will bring with it detailed characterization of the subsurface and once combined with other data being collected, the survey will provide confirmation of any and all significant potential for carbon dioxide storage within the Morecambe Bay gas fields.

It has already been shown that the gas fields have the potential to be one of the largest carbon stores within the UK or Europe and they also have the potential to offer industrial emitters a world-leading decarbonisation solution. These multiple abilities are just some of the benefits that MNZ offers. Along with its potential, which mean it contributes to the UK’s Net Zero goals, MNZ also has the capability to offer the North West of England a multi-billion-pound regeneration opportunity. This opportunity has been presented through the project securing the future of hundreds of existing jobs and livelihoods. The project has also been able to create a large number of new green jobs and it will also be able to provide Barrow-in-Furness with a significant economic boost.

The survey that will take place over this significantly beneficial gas field, is estimated to take around six weeks to carry out and it is scheduled to take place in the summer of 2024. The survey will also be the fifth CCS survey in the last two years that Shearwater will have carried out.

Spirit Energy’s Energy Transition Director and MNZ project lead, Matt Browell-Hook, said, "This achievement marks a pivotal point in our MNZ journey. We are progressing very well against our carbon storage licence commitments and utilising advanced technical approaches to further expand our 40-year operational knowledge of our East Irish Sea assets is another crucial step towards our goal of at scale, commercial carbon storage by 2030.”