The Marram gas field is situated in the shallow waters of the East Irish Sea, UK. It is 100% owned and operated by EnergyPathways, an energy company based in the UK.
EnergyPathways has applied to the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA) and the Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning for approvals of the Marram field development plan.
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Additionally, it has submitted a licence variation request to the NSTA to expedite the development of the Marram field. The commencement of production at the gas field is anticipated in 2025.
The Marram gas field will supply domestic gas to more than one million UK homes. It will operate entirely on UK renewable energy and produce gas with a carbon footprint 90% lower than that of imported liquified natural gas.
The field represents the initial phase of the extensive Marram Energy Storage Hub (MESH) project, which aims to facilitate the long-term storage of both natural gas and green hydrogen in underground reservoirs.
EnergyPathways submitted a gas storage license application for the MESH project in August 2024.
The gas field will eventually shift towards storage and hydrogen production, which is expected to bolster the security and efficiency of the UK energy market while supporting the country’s shift towards renewable energy sources.
Location
The Marram gas field is located within block 110/4a of Seaward Licence P2490, situated 30km west of the mainland UK.
It lies approximately 15km east of the South Morecambe gas field platform, within the territorial waters of the UK’s East Irish Sea Basin.
Marram gas field development background
Discovered in 1993, the Marram gas field remained undeveloped for years due to historically low gas prices and infrastructural constraints. However, the recent surge in natural gas prices has rendered such dormant gas discoveries economically viable.
The decline of larger fields has led to available capacity in existing infrastructure, allowing for cost-effective development of Marram through a straightforward tie-back approach.
EnergyPathways has sought an extension of its licence for the Marram block to ensure sufficient time for updating its field development plan in alignment with decarbonisation and storage goals.
The company has earmarked the Marram field as a ‘ready-to-go’ gas development asset, boasting low sub-surface technical risk and no requirement for further appraisal drilling.
The proximity to existing infrastructure with available capacity underscores its potential for swift production commencement.
The engineering and design assessments have validated EnergyPathways’ strategy to repurpose the Marram gas field for future gas storage applications, integrating it into a broader Irish Sea energy storage project.
Ongoing engineering studies are also exploring a fully electrified development model for both initial gas exploitation and subsequent storage purposes at Marram.
Reserves and production
The Marram gas field is estimated to hold 35.3 billion cubic feet (bcf) of undeveloped proven and probable gas reserves and an additional 11bcf of contingent resources, all contained within high-quality reservoirs.
The field has the potential to produce around 20 million standard cubic feet per day for a lifespan of more than six years.
Field development details
The Marram gas field development will be executed as a low-cost, low-emission, short-cycle project, involving a two-well subsea tieback. Two horizontal wells are planned, each with a total depth of 900m and lateral sections extending 600m.
These wells are specifically designed for both production and injection. It will feature two suitable subsea mudline X-Trees.
The project will utilise fit-for-purpose vessel solutions such as the Zap-Lok pipeline connection system, which is a globally recognised and approved technology for submarine pipelines, and a modular pipelay system.
The development plan also includes the adoption of diverless connection systems for shallow waters, thereby mitigating the risks associated with diver-based pipeline tie-ins.
The project will feature state-of-the-art electric subsea production systems, electrified wellhead control systems, powered by renewable energy sources, line-of-sight satellite communication and control, and battery storage.
Electric gas compression solutions for both production and storage purposes are also being explored.
Contractors involved
MCS Group and Mermaid Subsea Services (UK), through its UK subsidiary MCS Subsea Solutions, signed a memorandum of understanding with EnergyPathways to provide front-end engineering design services for advancing the development of the Marram gas field in February 2024.
Zenith Energy, a well-engineering consultancy and project management company, is providing well-engineering and well-operator services for the project.
