Energy Central, the Port of Blyth’s £26m partnership with Arch and one of the UK’s leading deep-water offshore energy locations, is to be showcased at SPE Offshore Europe 2017 next week with an aim to attract further investment from the energy sector.
Known as a premier, deep water, east coast UK energy base located in the North East of England – Energy Central provides nearly 200 hectares of land strategically positioned with quayside access and is ideally positioned for offshore energy sector businesses looking to relocate and grow near to both the cluster of firms already located at Port of Blyth and the opportunities out in the North Sea.
Already Energy Central has supported a number of significant offshore energy projects including:
- Aiding Royal IHC Ltd to relocate its entire manufacturing and project base into the Port of Blyth, supporting the company in the assembly and movement of the world’s most advanced J-Lay pipe system.
- Assisting Statnett and National Grid who are working together to construct the North Sea Link between Norway and the UK, the world’s longest subsea interconnector. The project, which will come ashore at Northumberland Energy Park, sees Energy Central being home to another major offshore construction project with international significance.
- Supporting EDF Energy Renewables who are currently building a new offshore wind farm off the coast of Blyth. Located less than 7 km offshore, the project will see five turbines with a total capacity of 41.5 MW installed. With an onshore substation already in place at Energy Central, EDF are busy constructing a permanent Operation and Maintenance base within the Port’s South Harbour site.
The showcase at the exhibition includes four available sites with Enterprise Zone status offering financial incentives – Northumberland Energy Park, Bates Terminal & Wimbourne Quays, Dun Cow Quay and Commissioners Quay alongside established sites South Harbour and Battleship Wharf. These sites, together with a number of key assets such as the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, the Port Training Centre and a collection of Newcastle University’s research facilities, make up Energy Central.
The quayside position of these key sites on the Blyth estuary provides direct access to open sea and is complemented by great road, rail and air connectivity, all of which is underpinned by the growing energy cluster at the port which is supported by an established supply chain, a skilled workforce and a pipeline of talent.
Martin Lawlor, Chief Executive at the Port said: “The Port of Blyth has a great deal of expertise and a consistent track record in supporting the delivery of large scale projects across the energy sector. Energy Central offers an ideal location for companies looking for access to markets including offshore wind projects, the decommissioning of oil and gas assets in the Northern, Central and Southern North Sea sectors and fabrication, mobilisation and demobilisation for new and existing oil and gas fields in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf (UKCS)”.
Cllr Richard Wearmouth Chair of Arch, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Energy Central at a global level, as SPE Offshore Europe is recognised as one of the leading oil and gas events in Europe, with over 50,000 attendees. The sites in Northumberland are ideal for energy sector businesses looking to locate and grow in an area that offers benefits including an experienced and ready-made skills base, Enterprise Zone status and a £25m investment to add a new deep-water quay.”
Energy Central will be exhibited at SPE Offshore Europe Exhibition 2017 on Stand 1F72 in Aberdeen from 5th – 8th September.
For more information about Energy Central, please visit: www.energycentraluk.co.uk or email info@energycentraluk.co.uk.
