PETROL company ConocoPhillips announced yesterday that it is seeking planning permission to build a gas terminal on the banks of the Tees to import liquified gas.
The company wants to build a facility that would allow gas at very low temperatures to be imported on ships as liquid, offloaded then turned back into gas before being pumped to homes and businesses.
The facility, near Conoco's oil terminal site on the north of the Tees, would heat the liquid to turn it back into gas.
If Conoco gets planning permission, dozens of jobs could be created.
Stan Higgins, chief executive of the North-East Process Industries Cluster, said it could help bring down energy costs for businesses which have been struggling with mounting raw materials costs, by making gas more plentiful and meaning gas suppliers would have to be more competitive.
The planning process is expected to be complete by the middle of 2007, with the facility operational by 2008 or 2009.
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