Feasibility studies are to begin exploring the possibility of redeveloping former wartime oil tanks into a new fuel base in Lyness.
Scapa Flow Asset Management Limited (SFAML) and Orkney Islands Council have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to examine how the Wee Fea underground storage tanks could be transformed into a base for the storage and distribution of low sulphur marine gas oil.
The six tanks were tunnelled into the hillside above Lyness during the Second World War to provide protection from air raids. They held up to 132 million litres of fuel oil for supply to British and Allied warships stationed in Scapa Flow.
David Moir, Managing Director of SFAML, said the tanks' strategic location, their large storage capacity and their location "potentially add up to a turn-key solution for a project of this kind".
"We will be looking to see if the tanks could be used for the storage and distribution of low sulphur marine gas oil to the north Atlantic region and the north of Scotland," he said.
"We aim to commence the initial due diligence process in the next few weeks. Bearing in mind that the tanks have not been utilised commercially for over half a century, this will be potentially challenging.
"However, our initial investigations have led us to believe that this asset does have the potential to serve as a first class, strategically placed low sulphur fuel hub."
Gavin Barr, the Council's Director of Development and Infrastructure, said: "The potential to bring the tanks back into use has been looked at on a number of occasions over the years and we welcome this latest approach.
"This initial agreement marks a very early stage in the process. It matches how the Council has approached potential interest from developers in the past and gives the company access to the underground facility for early feasibility and testing work. We hope to have the results of this later this year when next steps can be considered by the Council in due course."
(LM)
Time and date
CONSTRUCTION DIRECTORY
Construction News
07/04/2017
Former Wartime Oil Tanks To Be Redeveloped Into New Fuel Base
Latest Construction News
22/11/2024
SP Energy Networks has announced a major investment in Britain's electricity grid, selecting 19 preferred partners to deliver a £5.4bn supply chain programme. This significant initiative aims to meet increasing energy demand and facilitate future growth. The selected companies, many of which are ...
22/11/2024
Edinburgh City Council has launched a 12-week public consultation on a new strategy to revitalise Princes Street and the wider Waverley Valley. The vision aims to create a more vibrant and welcoming city centre, attracting investment, supporting businesses, and enhancing the visitor ...
22/11/2024
Ener-G Services Limited, a leading UK electrical engineering company specialising in renewables, marine, and offshore sectors, has expanded its operations in Westhill, Aberdeenshire. The company has leased Unit 6E at Kingshill Commercial Park, a 2,500 sq ft space, on a 5-year lease. This new ...
22/11/2024
A consortium of leading scientists, industry experts, and academic institutions has joined forces to accelerate Scotland's offshore wind sector. The £2.5 million project, led by the University of Edinburgh in collaboration with the University of Dundee and the Forth and Tay Offshore cluster (FTO), ...
22/11/2024
The Port of Aberdeen and Turner & Townsend were highly commended in the 'Engineering, Construction & Infrastructure Project of the Year' category at the APM Project Management Awards 2024. The award recognises excellence in project management and the positive impact on end-users. The £420 million ...
22/11/2024
South Lanarkshire Council's £10 million fire safety improvement programme has reached a significant milestone, with CCG (Scotland) completing installations in over 1,700 high-rise residences across East Kilbride and Cambuslang. The Glasgow-based construction firm has been working closely with the ...
22/11/2024
SSEN Transmission, a key player in the UK's energy transition, is set to further expand its workforce and move into a new, sustainable office space in Glasgow. The company's commitment to net zero and the increasing demand for green energy workers has led to significant growth, with the number of ...
22/11/2024
Scottish Water is investing in the upgrade of its Loch Eck clean water plant in Dunoon. The project involves replacing outdated dry well pumps with new, more reliable pumps capable of operating in both wet and dry conditions. WGM Engineering, an RSK Group company, has been tasked with carrying out ...
22/11/2024
Scottish Land & Estates has expressed serious concerns over the Scottish Government's Land Reform Bill, particularly the provisions that would allow ministers to force landowners to sell large estates in lots. Sarah-Jane Laing, the organisation's chief executive, stated that while the land-based ...
22/11/2024
Clark Contracts employees have once again shown their commitment to community engagement by volunteering at Silverburn Park in Leven. On Thursday, 21st November, 16 members of the team spent their day planting over 400 trees and carrying out other landscaping tasks. This latest volunteering effort ...