History of Natural Gas in the Irish Sea

In Relation to the Isle of Man, where are the Current Gas Fields?

 

The nearest producing gas field to the Isle of Man is the Millom gas field which lies 15km from Manx waters. Millom has been producing natural gas from Triassic sandstone reservoir since 2000 at a maximum rate of 100 million cubic feet per day and whilst it is now at the tail end of its production, it is still producing 30 million cubic feet per day having produced, to date, 257 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas.

The next nearest gas production to Manx waters is Rhyll gas field (25km, 47Bcf since 2013), North Morecambe (30km, 1000Bcf since 1994), and Dalton (35km, 49 Bcf since 1999) and South Morecambe (35km, 5000 Bcf since 1985).

East Irish Sea Gas Fields:

Gas exploration has been occurring in the East Irish Sea between the Isle of Man, Cumbria and North Wales since the very earliest days of United Kingdom licencing. The giant South Morecambe gas field was discovered in 1974 and has produced 5000 Bcf since 1985, whilst the adjacent North Morecambe was discovered in 1976 and has produced 1000 Bcf of natural gas since 1994.

Additional gas fields in the East Irish Sea adjacent to the 112/25 Isle of Man gas accumulation include Millon, Dalton, Calder and Rhyll. Further to the south east, in the area of Liverpool Bay, there are further gas fields; Hamilton, Hamilton North, Hamilton East and Lennox.

Throughout the Irish Sea there are also a good number of as yet undeveloped gas accumulations, of which the 112/25 Isle of Man gas accumulation is one.