News : 30 September 2011 - Halite Energy Publishes Full Technical Assessment Report 

Halite Energy Group, the company behind plans to develop an Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility at Preesall, Lancashire, has published a detailed technical assessment into the causes of a brine well blow out at Preesall on 18 June.

The report demonstrates that the cavern at Brine Well 45, where the incident occurred, is stable and the cavern floor and roof remain intact, removing any possibility that cavern instability caused the incident and also taking away concerns around any future cavern collapse in the adjacent area.

Halite chief executive, Keith Budinger, said: "The publication of this report does not mark the conclusion of our response to the unexpected incident. From the outset, Halite took swift action to make the site safe and begin a clean-up operation. This has involved working with all the relevant organisations, including the Environment Agency, Lancashire County Council and Wyre Borough Council, on the very important job of limiting the impact of the event on the local environment from taking immediate action to contain the brine outflow and minimising the effects on local vegetation to developing detailed remediation plans to restore the condition of hedgerows and agricultural land affected."

The results of work undertaken by soil scientists and ecologists of potentially affected soil and water have been analysed by the company's environmental consultants at Hyder Consulting who are working closely with local authorities and the Environment Agency on a long-term strategy that will return the affected area to its pre-incident state.

Keith Budinger added: "Halite is committed to being a good steward of the land in our ownership. In addition to the environmental remediation work being carried out we have also undertaken technical response work which involves filling the cavern at Brine Well 45 with brine to add further strength and support. Site safety and security has also been strengthened by appointing a 24-hour security ranger patrol to monitor our land."

Halite will be making an application for a Development Consent Order (DCO) to develop an Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility at Preesall to the Infrastructure Planning Commission in the coming weeks.

The technical assessment report can be viewed and downloaded from Halite's website at halite-energy.co.uk. Click here to view.

ENDS