In the last month there have been more than 300 earthquakes off the coast of Castellón and Tarragona. Between 1.00 am and 8.00 am on Thursday, were recorded (so far) last 25, two of them of magnitude 4.1 on the Richter scale.
Geological experts claim that due to “induced seismicity” by controversial Castor project. The Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism Jose Manuel Soria, announced that new gas injections paralyze while not guaranteed “perfect security” of the population and the Castellón County Council has announced it will take legal action against former Socialist ministers , which makes them responsible for “the processing and adjudication” of granting Castor underground storage project.
What is it?
Castor project is a natural gas underground storage facility located 22 kilometers from the coast overlooking Vinaroz in Castellón fail of an old oil well 1,750 meters below sea level . The gas is collected from the national gas pipeline network in coastal plant comes through a pipeline to an offshore platform, from which it is pumped to the natural cavity underwater tank makes and where it will remain until that needs to be used.
What is
store purpose is to help regulate the supply of gas and to ensure the minimum stock in the country. Would store the equivalent of one third of the gas demand of the system for 50 days or, which is the same, the supplies necessary to supply five million Valencian for three months . The storage capacity is important to ensure supply in a country like Spain, which imports almost all of its consumption. This type of storage allows the Spanish gas system to cope with peak loads or supply disruptions, among other eventualities, explained from Enagas.
project
recognized a maximum cost of 1,272 million euros, infrastructure development was granted Escal UGS, 66.6% owned by the ACS Group . This amount will be charged at the rate of gas for 20 years from its entry into service. If the project finally comes on, in Scales warn that “the state would have to bear the full cost of the project audited, working or not.”
In July 2010 ‘landed’ platform off the coast of Castellón. In October of that same year the first polls were drilled for construction of warehouse and between January 2011 and February 2012 the building of the pipeline that connects the ground floor with the marine platform.
What impact willin gas prices?
According to industry sources, once the warehouse becomes operational cost begin to be reflected in the consumer’s bill , with an estimated impact of close to 6%.
At what point is the project?
would take about six months at a time to inject the 1,300 million cubic meters of gas called working or useful, that can be extracted when demand requires. Along with this, there is a so-called ‘cushion gas’ that is trapped between the pores and, while not useful, it is necessary to make the installation work. On June 14, work began to fill this ‘cushion gas’ and have already injected 100 million cubic meters of the total of 600 million ‘cushion gas’ necessary, with almost a year behind on the deadlines initially .
September 13 began to register tremors and the Ministry of Industry 26 order the cessation of such activity, but from the ground it was reported that from day 16 had ceased due to its normal work planning.
What is the problem?
Since last September 13 have experienced more than 300 earthquakes off the coast of Castellón and Tarragona, most low-intensity peak with a magnitude of 4.2 on the Richter scale. Experts geologists claim to be the “induced seismicity” by the Castor project , caused by the injection of gas into the rock, but there is no consensus about its risks and evolution.
storage is performed by injecting the gas into a “limestone”, which naturally accumulates energy by dynamic processes of the earth and released through seismic waves, explains Luis Suarez , president of the Association of Geologists, so that there is “reasonable suspicion” about the relationship between gas injection and tremors, a link for which “there is no doubt,” complains Ecologists in Action. Industry Minister Jose Manuel Soria, has also admitted that there might be a relationship between gas injections and earthquakes.
Accordingneotectonic map of the Geological Survey, the gas injection platform is located on an active fault just over 50 kilometers long.
reactions
Environmental groups expressed opposition to the project in 2008 with the shortcomings of the environmental impact report. Ecologists in Action have called for the suspension of the project. At the political level, IU has claimed “immediate cessation” of Castor Project activity and called for urgent in Parliament by the Minister of Industry, José Manuel Soria, while CiU has requested the attendance at the Congress of the secretaries of State of Environment and Energy. For his part, Deputy U.S. in the Valencian Parliament Marina Albiol has asked the Government to initiate “legal action” against the company Escal UGS.
Other underground storage
In Spain there are four underground gas storage: Serrablo, in Huesca, in operation since 1989, Seagull, off the coast of Bermeo (Vizcaya), active since 1994, Yela, in Guadalajara, opened in 2012 and Marshes , in Huelva.
* With reporting by Miguel G. Corral and Victor Martinez
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