Evaluation of potential for Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) in geological structures

Project Title

Location

Northern Ireland

Client

Gaelectric Energy Storage Ltd (GES)

Date

June 2011 – December 2013

Business Sectors

Environment

Services (Technical Disciplines)

Data capture and modeling; to reduce geological risks and optimize the financial and technical options available to the client. Management of exploration drilling programme, data acquisition, QC, interpretation and delivery of final well reports.

Project Objectives/Outcomes

GES is assessing the feasibility for a 135MW underground compressed air energy storage and electricity generating facility that will be the first of its kind in Ireland and the UK.

Our Role

SLR was contracted as geological advisors to the project.

Assessment of the geological capacity for compressed air energy storage (CAES) in salt caverns in Northern Ireland;
Re-interpretation of seismic data and integration with geological borehole data;
Data import and modeling in GIS to identify optimal sites;
Drilling site selection for salt cavern excavation;
Landowner liaison & Health & Safety audits and site assessments;
Locate, fit out, rental insurance & security for core store facility;
Drilling and wireline logging supervision and data QC for two wells;
Core logging, photography, sampling & preservation;
Borehole reinstatement; and
Geological Final well reports.

Geoscience Ireland Contact

Nick O’Neill noneill@slrconsulting.com