Infrastructure firm Costain has been appointed by Storengy UK to deliver the front-end engineering and design (FEED) for the Keuper Gas Storage Project (KGSP)—a groundbreaking underground hydrogen storage facility located in Northwich, Cheshire.
The project will comprise 19 salt caverns capable of storing approximately 400 million cubic metres (mcm) of hydrogen—equivalent to 1,300 GWh, making it one of the largest proposed hydrogen storage projects in the UK. This initiative is key to bolstering energy resilience and decarbonisation efforts in the Northwest of England.
Two FEED Contracts:
Cavern Development (Solution Mining)
Involves pumping water deep underground to dissolve salt and form caverns.
Brine will be extracted and transported via existing pipelines to local users.
Hydrogen Storage and Transfer Infrastructure
Will support connection to the HyNet system, a regional hydrogen infrastructure network.
Encompasses hydrogen compression, treatment, dehydration, storage, and injection back into the grid.
Experience and Impact
Costain brings two decades of experience in gas storage design, including work on the Stublach plant, and has longstanding ties to the Holford brinefields. This background is expected to enhance the constructability and local integration of KGSP.
According to Sam White, Costain’s Managing Director of Natural Resources, the project represents a “transformative opportunity” for the UK’s hydrogen economy and energy transition. Paul Snary, Hydrogen Director at Storengy UK, emphasised the project’s role in decarbonising regional industry and power generation as part of the broader HyNet initiative.
Costain’s design work is due to complete in 2026, providing a foundation for Storengy UK’s Final Investment Decision (FID) and subsequent progress toward Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCm) contracts.
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