Spirit Energy has completed the latest in a series of activities to boost gas production from its Morecambe hub, investing approximately £20 million to maximise economic recovery from the fields, located in the East Irish Sea. It is estimated the activities could increase production from the field by around 300,000 boe annually – enough to power an extra 130,000 UK homes for one year.

Over the summer, the operations, wells and project teams worked together on a campaign to enhance gas production from the DPPA platform’s production wells, in the North Morecambe field. This involved a series of interventions in the casings of five wells, improving productivity and enabling higher gas rates.

The campaign followed an upgrade of the compressor on the Central Processing Complex (CPC) platform to lower pressure and increase gas production from South Morecambe, and the introduction of agents into some of the wells to improve gas flow.

The work reflects Spirit Energy’s strategy to maximise economic recovery of its existing UK gas reserves while preparing to transform the North and South Morecambe fields into the UK’s largest offshore carbon store through its Morecambe Net Zero (MNZ) Peak Cluster project. The project also received a boost in July, with an investment commitment from the National Wealth Fund of £28.6 million.

Working with its Peak Cluster partners, comprising four of the country’s leading cement and lime producers, Spirit Energy’s MNZ store will be home to 40% of the CO2 emissions associated with UK cement production.

Spirit Energy CEO, Neil McCulloch, said: “We’re playing our part to boost UK energy security by optimising production from our Morecambe Hub. In parallel, we’re prolonging the life of the fields and assets to ensure a smooth transition from gas production to carbon storage, as part of our MNZ project.

“Our goal is to create an overlap between producing gas from the Morecambe Hub and storing carbon emissions in the depleted fields. We’re demonstrating how energy companies can progress though the energy transition. The revenues generated from traditional gas production today will support our transformation into a carbon storage business in the future.”

Spirit’s programme of production enhancements reflects the commitments made by its majority shareholder, Centrica, to invest in the UK’s clean energy transition, including its recently announced partnership with X-energy to develop advanced nuclear technology, its agreement to take a 15% stake in Sizewell C and the acquisition of the Isle of Grain LNG terminal.

David Whitehouse, CEO of Offshore Energies UK, the sector’s representative body, added: “At a critical time for our sector, this is a positive investment in British jobs, energy security and the nation’s industrial future. All investment in the UK must be welcomed, especially investment in our highly integrated, world-class energy industry and its supply chains and people.

“This is an example of how UK-based firms can strategically build innovative technologies of the future upon the platform of homegrown gas. For as long as we need gas, as much as possible must come from UK waters so this industry and its people can continue their invaluable contribution to UK economic value, innovation and growth.”

About Spirit Energy

We are a pioneering energy company with two shareholders: Centrica plc (69%), and Stadtwerke München GmbH SWM (31%). We operate in the UK and the Netherlands, with a 600-strong team, and 18 producing field interests.

Our portfolio and ambitions span the breadth of the energy transition. We’re continuing to break new ground, collaborating, and thinking differently. Our strategy is focused on safely delivering production from our existing assets; meeting and de-risking our decommissioning obligations and pursuing strategic energy transition opportunities from our existing assets.

We’re proud of our heritage. With more than 40 years of production, we’re maximising the potential of our existing assets and substantial gas reserves in the UK and Netherlands. Above all, we live by our commitment to safety in everything we do. Our portfolio is predominantly gas (96%), providing vital, primary energy to fuel our homes and businesses in the UK and Europe.