§ Sir Bernard Braineasked the Secretary of State for Energy what inquiries he has made following reports that there are serious defects in the methane gas storage tanks at Canvey Island; what is the total capacity of those tanks; what, is the present quantity stored there; what leakage of gas has taken place and over what period; what steps are being taken to stop further leakages; and what proposals are being considered regarding the possible shutdown of this installation.
§ Mr. John SmithI am aware of the position as respects the methane storage tanks at Canvey Island. The operation58W of this site is the responsibility of the British Gas Corporation as part of its day-to-day management and I am assured by the Corporation that there is no danger to the neighbouring population. The installations are regularly inspected by officials of the Health and Safety Executive and the Essex County Council, and the licences for the operation of the tanks are renewed annually. I am informed that these inspections have not revealed any defects of a kind which would justify the closure of the tanks for safety reasons. The total capacity of the 10 tanks on the site, of which six are above-ground and four in-ground, is 108,000 tons. Present quantities of gas stored at Canvey are usually in a range of between 31,000 and 47,000 tons. No leakage has taken place from the aboveground tanks. Leakage from the in-ground tanks is negligible in measurable terms, and has taken place entirely within the plant area where the strictest fire and safety precautions are maintained. It is so small that it is not necessary to modify the installation and there is no question of the whole Canvey Island installation being shut down, because it forms an integral part of the Gas Corporation's national transmission and storage system. In the longer term the in-ground tanks are likely to be taken out of commission on economic grounds as storage requirements change with the arrival of further quantities of gas from the North Sea. The timing of such de-commissioning will be decided by the regular engineering and economic appraisals which are carried out by British Gas on the tanks in question.