Dorset gas storage caverns: What you need to know
A company has chosen a location in Dorset for the construction of the UK's second set of underground storage facilities for hydrogen gas. What does that mean, and why has Dorset been chosen? One of three possible locations. To store gas as UK Oil and Gas (UKOG) is suggesting, you must first locate a thick underground layer of salt. Engineers can drill directly downwards and inject water to dissolve the salt, forming substantial empty cavities. The brine can then be discharged and gas can be injected in for storage until it is required. The UK mainland has only three areas where this is geologically feasible, with Dorset being one of them, according to the company. The salt the company is examining is located approximately 1.3 kilometers beneath the surface, or about 0.8 miles. The exact location of the site remains undisclosed, but it is situated to the west of Weymouth. What might be the potential effects? Storing gas underground is a common practi...