Council chiefs have raised "no objections" to a fact-finding application submitted by the company acting for gas giants Canatxx.
The Texan firm wants to store a million tons of gas under the Wyre countryside.
Hyder Consulting (UK) Limited of Centre Park, Warrington, lodged a "scoping opinion for the storage of gas" off the riverbank near Stalmine, last month.
A "scoping
application" is one made to a council by would-be developers requesting an opinion about what information should be included within an environmental impact assessment.
And the council's response is not to raise any objections to it.
Council officers have said a detailed review of the area is being considered, including the route of a proposed pipeline.
Canatxx's previous bid to store gas under the Wyre estuary led to a battle between the company and environmental protestors on both sides of the River Wyre.
Their application was thrown out in October last year after a lengthy public inquiry.
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