(no subject)
Nov. 29th, 2024 03:46 pmApparently the largest onshore gas storage facility in Europe is here: "53.23418520599506, -2.4347367449446033", about 15km away from us. I only found out when Google Streetview decided we should take a circuit around the property on our way to a crematorium. The route isn't at all public, but the whole thing looked so interesting that I had to go on a brief rabbit-hole internet dive to work out what the Secret Site was. I finally found the answer on the background map on a LIDAR display – a discovery that perplexed me even more than the original 'what is that?" moment.
Y'see, the whole place looks slightly derelict, slightly tech, from Google Maps and not like I'd expect a fuel storage facility to look like at all.
The secret is that they store the gas underground. In caves. Caves melted out of the salt strata underlying Cheshire.
Now, I knew that there were salt mines here; I knew that there were document storage businesses set up in old salt mines, where thje dryness suits the paper, but not that somebody had drilled down into the salt layer, pumped water down to make brine, found businesses that needed brine and then swapped the brine for spare gas. There's a page with a video overview off the following link:
https://www.storengy.co.uk/storengy-uk-stublach-site
Cool, eh?
We sat down in the pews at the crem only top be welcomed by a gent with his collar on backwards who cheerfully wished us a warm welcome.
I still don't know if he was on autopilot, didn't think at all or had a devilish twinkle when he said that.
Y'see, the whole place looks slightly derelict, slightly tech, from Google Maps and not like I'd expect a fuel storage facility to look like at all.
The secret is that they store the gas underground. In caves. Caves melted out of the salt strata underlying Cheshire.
Now, I knew that there were salt mines here; I knew that there were document storage businesses set up in old salt mines, where thje dryness suits the paper, but not that somebody had drilled down into the salt layer, pumped water down to make brine, found businesses that needed brine and then swapped the brine for spare gas. There's a page with a video overview off the following link:
https://www.storengy.co.uk/storengy-uk-stublach-site
Cool, eh?
We sat down in the pews at the crem only top be welcomed by a gent with his collar on backwards who cheerfully wished us a warm welcome.
I still don't know if he was on autopilot, didn't think at all or had a devilish twinkle when he said that.