Plans are advancing for an £830 million project off the UK coast that could boost Britain's depleted gas storage capacity by up to 50%. British-Irish energy firm dCarbonX, backed by Europe's largest gas infrastructure operator Snam, is proposing to redevelop the former Bains gas site near Barrow-in-Furness, approximately 30 kilometres off the coast of north-west England in Morecambe Bay.

The project comes as Britain faces what dCarbonX describes as a mounting "national security risk" due to inadequate gas storage infrastructure. The UK currently has the lowest gas storage capability in the G7, with just 12 days' worth of average winter gas demand capacity. This compares unfavorably with European counterparts like Germany, France and Italy, which maintain 90 days or more of storage capacity.

The Bains site would be capable of storing 1.4 billion cubic metres of gas, providing approximately six additional days of average demand coverage. Tony O'Reilly, chief executive of dCarbonX, emphasized that "the UK doesn't just have a market gap - it has a strategic risk," noting that gas has evolved from being merely a commodity to "the key transition fuel and an insurance policy for stable growth."

The proposed redevelopment of the former producing gas field could become operational within five years, pending regulatory and investment approvals. The project represents one of several initiatives aimed at strengthening Britain's energy security infrastructure as the country navigates the transition to cleaner energy sources while maintaining reliable supply during peak demand periods.

Families of the 29 victims killed in the 1994 Chinook helicopter crash are escalating their decades-long fight for answers, preparing to deliver a petition with more than 47,000 signatures to Downing Street demanding a public inquiry. The Chinook Justice Campaign has published 110 "critical questions" they want answered about the tragedy that claimed the lives of 25 intelligence experts and four special forces crew members when the aircraft crashed on the Mull of Kintyre on June 2, 1994.

The campaign comes after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer rejected calls for a judge-led inquiry into the incident, prompting families to declare they will "see the UK government in court." Among those delivering the petition on Tuesday are brothers Andy and Matt Tobias from Watford, whose father John Tobias was killed in the crash. The petition delivery will be accompanied by an attempt to deliver a letter directly to the Ministry of Defence.

Central to the families' concerns are questions about mission authorization, aircraft selection, and whether those on board were properly warned of risks. The campaign has gained momentum amid revelations that key documents related to the crash have been sealed until 2094—a century after the incident occurred. David Hill, technical expert for the Chinook Justice Campaign, characterized the government's position as "a betrayal by the state of them and their loved ones."

The crash investigation has followed a contentious path over the past three decades. Initial findings blamed pilot error for the tragedy, but this conclusion was overturned in 2011. The continuing secrecy surrounding the incident has drawn criticism from campaigners who argue it "undermines trust not only in the MoD but in the government itself." As families prepare to confront the government directly, the case represents one of Britain's longest-running military accountability battles.