Centrica Storage, a wholly-owned subsidiary of UK-based Centrica, has selected oilfield services provider Wood to provide integrated services for its operations in the UK Southern North Sea.

Under the five-year contract, Wood will provide engineering, procurement and construction solutions, operations and maintenance services, and project management services for Centrica’s Rough gas field in the North Sea and the Easington Gas Terminal in East Yorkshire.

Claimed to be UK’s largest natural gas storage site, the Rough facility was reopened last month by Centrica, following a five-year hiatus, in order to increase the country’s energy supply ahead of winter.

Wood will work with Centrica to redevelop the Rough site into what it claims to be world’s biggest hydrogen storage facility, thus contributing to the UK’s clean energy transition.

Centrica Storage managing director Martin Scargill said: “This is a long-term strategic partnership that will help us deliver our ambitious plans to provide energy resilience to the UK whilst driving forward the transition to net-zero.”

To deliver the contract, Wood plans to expand its engineering office in Hull and create approximately 100 jobs.

Wood Europe, Middle East and Africa operations president Ellis Renforth said: “Our teams will draw upon our extensive expertise in brownfield modifications and decarbonisation solutions to ensure efficient, reliable, and responsible operations of the Rough gas field and Easington gas terminal, helping to strengthen the UK’s energy supply, as well as enable the next phase of their energy transition journey.

“This award also brings an exciting opportunity to expand our operations in Hull and the Humberside area, working with local engineering talent and the supply chain to accelerate the delivery of energy solutions that will unlock a more secure and sustainable future for the region.”

During winter 2022/2023, the Rough gas storage facility is expected to store up to 30 billion cubic feet of gas.