The UK could store sufficient green hydrogen in depleted North Sea oil and gas fields to meet projected electricity demand for up to seven years, according to new research. Geologists and engineers from the Durham Energy Institute at the University of Durham modelled hydrogen storage scenarios against half-hourly data on electricity generation and demand, using both historical records and future system simulations.
The study found that large-scale deployment of green hydrogen, produced via electrolysis using surplus wind and solar power, and stored underground for later use, could remove the need for gas-fired power plants by 2040 under certain scenarios.
Researchers estimate that the system could provide more than 3,500 terawatt hours (TWh) of storage capacity, forming a long-duration seasonal energy reserve to support the UK’s energy transition. Existing oil and gas infrastructure would be adapted for hydrogen storage alongside new developments.
The UK government’s long-term energy strategy already supports the use of hydrogen in power generation, while noting that storage capacity will need to expand significantly. Current UK hydrogen storage plans are largely focused on salt caverns, with only one North Sea field, Rough, being developed for hydrogen storage to date.
The research suggests that depleted offshore oil and gas fields could provide a much larger storage resource than currently planned infrastructure, potentially enabling higher integration of variable renewable energy.
The team combined geological and engineering data with energy system modelling, creating a digital representation of the UK’s future electricity system. This included projected demand growth from electric vehicles, heat pumps and data centres.
Different storage scenarios were tested, ranging from limited deployment based on existing projects to expanded use of additional depleted fields identified across the UK Continental Shelf. These were compared with a system relying primarily on increased renewables and battery storage.
All scenarios reduced reliance on gas during periods of low renewable output, with gas generation falling to around 1% by 2030 in the models. However, only the high-storage hydrogen scenario fully eliminated gas generation by 2040 in the simulations.
The study concludes that without large-scale hydrogen storage, the system would face constraints that limit the full utilisation of renewable generation capacity.
