The United Kingdom petroleum pipeline network is principally made up of three pipelines systems: the former Government Pipeline and Storage System (GPSS) now the Exolum Pipeline System; the Esso pipelines (principally the mainline and midlines), and the United Kingdom Oil Pipelines (UKOP) and associated pipelines. There are also several other lines including the Fina line built around 1990 that runs from North Lincolnshire to the Buncefield oil depot near Hemel Hempstead. [1]
The GPSS was originally constructed between 1941 and 1944 and then extended after the war, most notably during the 1950s, 1970s and 1980s. [1] The first commercial pipeline to be constructed in the United Kingdom was built in 1959 by Shell-Mex and BP from the GPSS depot at Walton on Thames to Heathrow Airport. This pipeline now forms part of UKOP (West London). In 1963 Esso built their own pipeline from their Fawley refinery to London Heathrow. [2] The Esso Main and Midlines constructed in the 1970s and 1980s respectively. The Esso pipeline from Fawley to London is due to be replaced, with the preferred routes G and J – North and South of Alton Pumping station being announced in June 2018. [3] [4] For a further description see Exolum Pipeline System.
United Kingdom Oil Pipelines Act 1966 | |
---|---|
Act of Parliament | |
Long title | An Act to empower United Kingdom Oil Pipelines Limited to acquire lands; and for other purposes. |
Citation | 1966 c. xxix |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 9 August 1966 |
Status: Current legislation | |
Text of statute as originally enacted |
The United Kingdom Oil Pipeline (UKOP) is an oil products pipeline opened in 1969 and connecting the two (then) Shell refineries of Stanlow (Cheshire) and Shell Haven (Thames Estuary). UKOP is owned by a consortium of five shareholders Essar Midlands Ltd, BP, Shell, Valero and Total. UKOP is administered and operated by the British Pipeline Agency (BPA), [5] which is jointly owned by Shell and BP. [6] As part of the UKOP network, in 1982 BPA began work a pipeline from Walton to Gatwick and this was substantively complete by the end of the year. However, in 1983 the pipeline had to be shut down and was not brought back into operation until 1984. [7] In 1985 the UKOP pipeline from Kingsbury to Buncefield was commissioned. [8]
UKOP transports 7.5 million tonnes of mixed products each year distributed to major oil terminals at Buncefield and Kingsbury with spurs to Northampton and Nottingham. UKOP now draws its products from Essar Stanlow [9] in the north, with smaller volumes from tankage at Shell Haven. UKOP carries two grades of petrol, two grades of kerosene (including Jet A-1) and two grades of gas oil-diesel.
To ensure safety and integrity, the pipeline is patrolled by helicopter every two weeks.
A list of UK petroleum pipelines. Pipelines are multi-product lines with batches of product separated by pigs, except for single product lines where shown, for example aviation kerosene.
From | To | Length (km) | Diameter (inches) | Capacity (1000 tons/month) | Operating pressure (psi) | Year constructed | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aldermaston | Newbury | 6 | 725 | ||||
Aldermaston | Sandy | 110 | 8/10 | 80 | 725 | 1941 | A/S line |
Aldermaston | Walton on Thames | 8/10 | 725 | ||||
Alton | Gatwick airport | 10 | 1100 | Aviation kerosene, operated by Shell | |||
Astwood Tee | Birmingham airport | 50 | 12 | 1200 | Astwood Tee on Hythe to Seisdon line | ||
Avonmouth | Walton on Thames | 80/135 | 1941–44 | A/T line | |||
Avonmouth | Aldermaston | 8/10 | 180 + 80 | 725 | 1941 | A/A line | |
Avonmouth | Stanlow | 220 | 8/10 | 100 | 725 | 1941–42 | N/S line via Gloucester, Upton, Worcester, Stourport and Beeston Castle terminals |
Avonmouth | Hythe/Fawley | 6 | 1440 | Aviation kerosene | |||
Backford | Bromborough/ Ellesmere Port | 10 | 725 | ||||
Backford | Misterton | 160 | 8/10 | 80 | 1941–44 | B/M line | |
Backford/Stanlow | Manchester airport | 10 | 450 | 1994 | Aviation kerosene, via Plumley | ||
Bacton | North Walsham | 8.3 | 6 | 720 | 1968 | Gas condensate, owned by Shell operated by British Pipeline Authority | |
Berwick Wood | Portishead/Nailsea | 16 | 725 | ||||
Buncefield | Walton on Thames | 6/8 | 1300 | via Longford junction (spur to Heathrow airport) Aviation kerosene | |||
Cadishead | Carrington Tee | 12 | Aviation kerosene | ||||
Calne | Fairford//Carterton | 6 | 1100 | ||||
Carrington Tee | Manchester airport | 12 | 1400 | Aviation kerosene | |||
Claydon | Thetford | 8 | 1200 | Aviation kerosene | |||
Claydon | Woodbridge | 6 | 725 | ||||
Colnbrook | Heathrow airport | 12 | 200 | Aviation kerosene | |||
Former Coryton refinery now Thames Oilport | Stanlow | 394 | 10, 14 | 1200 | 1969 | UKOP run by British Pipeline Agency, Thames-Mersey line via Buncefield terminal, Blisworth (spur to Northampton), and Kingsbury terminal | |
Falmouth | St. Mawgan | 8 | 1100 | ||||
Fawley | Esso West London oil terminal [4] | 105 | 10/12 | 1000 | 1972 | Aviation kerosene | |
Fawley | Severnside | 126 | 6 | ||||
Fawley | Seisdon | 14 | 1100 | ||||
Fawley | Shanklin | 1941–44 | F/S line | ||||
Grain | Nettlestead Tee | 120 | 6/8 | 80/95 | 725 | 1941–44 | Nettlestead Tee on Walton to Dungeness line |
Hamble | Aldermaston | 65 | 8/10 | 120 | 725 | 1941–42 | R/H line |
Hethersett | Buxton (Norfolk) | 6 | 725 | ||||
Hythe/Fawley | Seisdon | Aviation kerosene | |||||
Inverness | Lossiemouth | 8 | 1100 | ||||
Kingsbury | Buncefield | 10/12 | 1200 | ||||
Lindsey refinery (Killingholme) | Buncefield terminal | 150 | 10 | 1500 | 1990 | Fina line, operated by BPA, via Immingham Docks | |
Linkswood | Leuchars | 6 | 232 | ||||
Middlesborrough | Saltend (Hull) | 153 | 12 | 30 tons/hr | |||
Milford Haven | Seisdon | 234 | 16 | Aviation kerosene, 'Mainline' | |||
Misterton | Lincoln/Tattershall | 8 | 725 | ||||
Mossmorran | Stanlow | 410 | 15 | Northern UK NGL-Ethylene System, via Wilton, TPEP Trans-pennine | |||
Plumley | Goostrey | 10 | 450 | ||||
Purfleet | Gatwick airport | 10 | 1100 | Aviation kerosene, Shell | |||
Rawcliffe | Elvington/Northallerton | 8 | 725 | ||||
Saffron Walden | Stansted airport | 6 | 1100 | Aviation kerosene. Built by the US Air Force in 1954 but was never commissioned. Refurbished in 1990 as part of the redevelopment of Stansted airport. | |||
Saffron Walden | Hethersett | 8 | 75 | 725 | 1941–44 | TH/N line (part) | |
Saffron Walden | Sandy | 37 | 8/10 | 95 | 725 | 1941 | TH/N/S line |
Saffron Walden | Woodbridge | 8 | 1200 | via Claydon | |||
Sandy | Kelmarsh | 8 | 725 | ||||
Sandy | Misterton | 110 | 8/10 | 80 | 725 | 1941–43 | S/M line |
Seisdon | Carrington Tee | 112 | 12 | Aviation kerosene | |||
Seisdon | Nottingham | 112 | 10, 12 | 1400 | 'Mainline via Kingsbury | ||
Stanlow | Backford | ||||||
Stanlow | Bromborough | 400 + 350 + 55 + 55 | 1941–44 | Bromborough balance tanks | |||
Stanlow | Killingholme | 10/12 | 1100 | Former GPSS via Bramhall and Rawcliffe terminals | |||
Stanlow | Kingsbury | 10 | 1200 | ||||
Stanlow | Runcorn | 8 | 1305 | Ethylene, RSEP | |||
Stanlow | Carrington | 4 | 652 | Propylene | |||
Stanlow | Carrington | Ethylene, SCEP | |||||
Teesside | Saltend | 12 | 1160 | Ethylene, TSEP | |||
Tetsworth | Islip/Somerton | 6/8 | 725 | ||||
Thames Haven | Saffron Walden | 60 | 8/10 | 95 | 1200 | 1941–44 | TH/N line (part) |
Theddlethorpe terminal | Killingholme refinery | 6 | 900 | Theddlethorpe terminal decommissioned 2018 | |||
Thetford | Ingham/Barton Mills | 6/8 | 725 | Aviation kerosene | |||
Thetford | Shouldham/Tattersett | 8 | 725 | Aviation kerosene | |||
Tranmere | Stanlow | 16 | 652 | Fuel oil | |||
Walton on Thames | Dungeness | 8 | 95 | 725 | 1941–44 | T/D line | |
Walton on Thames | Gatwick airport | 36 | 10 | 1300 | 1984 | Operated by BPA | |
Walton on Thames | Heathrow airport | 6 | 720 | 1959 | |||
Stanlow | Grangemouth | North West Ethylene Pipeline, NWEP | |||||
Wilton | Grangemouth | 10 | 1390 | Ethylene, WGEP |
In addition to the petroleum products pipelines there are a number of crude oil pipelines transporting crude oil from offshore installations to coastal terminals and from terminals to refineries. [13] [14] [15] [16] The sources give various and conflicting lengths and capacities.
From – To | Length (miles) | Diameter (inches) | Max. waterdepth (feet) | Capacity (bbl/day) | Original operator | Year commissioned |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beatrice – Nigg Bay | 42 | 16 | Britoil | 1981 | ||
Bruce – Forties/ Cruden Bay line | 155 | 24 | Total | 1993 | ||
Cormorant South – Sullom Voe | 93 | 36 | 420–540 | Shell/Esso | 1978 | |
Ekofisk – Teesside | 220 | 34 | 220–300 | 300,000 | Phillips | 1975 |
Forties – Cruden Bay | 106 | 36 | 430 | 550,000 | BP | 1991 (replaced 32 inch line) |
Montrose – Forties/ Cruden Bay line | 39 | 14 | Amoco | 1993 | ||
Ninian – Sullom Voe | 105 | 36 | 492 | 1,000,000 | BP | 1978 |
Piper – Flotta | 130 | 30 | 480 | 560,000 | Occidental | 1976 |
From – To | Length, miles | Diameter | Original operator | Year constructed | Capacity |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Finnart – Grangemouth refinery | 57 (90 km) [17] | 50 cm | BP, Ineos from 2005 | 1951 | 4.5 million tonnes/year 7 million tons/year [17] |
Tranmere oil terminal – Stanlow refinery | 9 (24 km) [17] | 24 /28 inch | Shell | 1960 | linked six 20,000 tonne tanks at terminal to refinery, operating at 696 psi |
Angle Bay Milford Haven – Llandarcy oil refinery | 62 (96 km) | 46 cm | BP | 1961 | 5 million tonnes/year 8 million tons/year [17] |
Tranmere oil terminal – Heysham oil refinery | 70 | 30 cm | Shell | 1966 | 2 million tons/year. [17] Replaced an 18,000 dwt tanker supply. Decommissioned 1976 (refinery closed) |
Tranmere – Eastham | 12 inch | Shell | Operating at 696 psi | ||
Tetney Monobuoy – Tetney marine terminal | 3 | 36 inch | Phillips 66 | 1969 | |
Tetney marine terminal – Humber refinery | 15 | 22 inch | Phillips 66 | 1969 | |
Amlwch/Rhosgoch – Stanlow refinery | 79 (127 km) | 2 × 36 inch | Shell | 1974 | Decommissioned 1990 [18] |
Cruden Bay – Kinneil terminal | 130 | 36 inch | BP, Ineos from 2017 | 1975 | 87,000 m3/day, oil from offshore Forties field and natural gas liquids from St Fergus. Booster pump stations at Netherley, Brechin and Balbeggie |
For details of UK gas pipelines see National Transmission System
Tranmere Oil Terminal is situated on the River Mersey, 1.5 mi (2.4 km) south of Birkenhead. It was opened on 8 June 1960 to handle vessels of up to 65,000 tons, at two berths. It is connected to the Stanlow Oil Refinery by a 15 mi (24 km) crude oil pipeline. and a fuel oil pipeline. Part of the terminal occupies the site of a former ferry service to Liverpool, with the extant pier considerably modified.
Buncefield oil depot is operated by Hertfordshire Oil Storage Ltd (HOSL) and officially known as the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal. It is an oil depot located on the edge of Hemel Hempstead to the north of London in the United Kingdom (UK). In December 2005 a series of explosions on the site caused the largest fire in Europe since World War II.
An oil terminal is an industrial facility for the storage of oil, petroleum and petrochemical products, and from which these products are transported to end users or other storage facilities. An oil terminal typically has a variety of above or below ground tankage; facilities for inter-tank transfer; pumping facilities; loading gantries for filling road tankers or barges; ship loading/unloading equipment at marine terminals; and pipeline connections.
The Exolum Pipeline System, formerly the CLH Pipeline System and the Government Pipelines and Storage System (GPSS), is a fuel pipeline system in the United Kingdom. Originally constructed by the government to supply fuel to airfields in World War II, it is now owned by Exolum.
Stanlow Refinery is an oil refinery owned by Essar Energy in Ellesmere Port, North West England. Until 2011, it was owned by Shell UK. The refinery is situated on the south bank of the Manchester Ship Canal, which is used to transport seaborne oil for refining and chemicals for Essar.
British Pipeline Agency Ltd (BPA) is a joint venture, established in 1969, between BP Oil UK and Shell UK. The company operates the UK oil pipeline network of oil pipelines which transport petroleum products around the UK.
The Oil and Pipelines Agency (OPA) is a statutory corporation of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in the United Kingdom. Its current role is to operate six coastal Oil Fuel Depots on behalf of the MoD. The OPA was also previously responsible for the management of the Government Pipelines and Storage System (GPSS), until its sale in 2015. The OPA is the MoD's professional expert on bulk fuel storage and transportation by pipeline.
The Llandarcy Oil Refinery, also known as the National Oil Refinery, BP Llandarcy and Skewen refinery, was the United Kingdom's first oil refinery, initially opened by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company on 29 June 1922, although operations had begun on 1 July 1921. Before this, the only oil refined in the UK came from Scottish shale.
Plumley is a village and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It had a population of 643 at the 2011 census.
Coryton Refinery was an oil refinery in Essex, England, on the estuary of the River Thames 28 miles (45 km) from central London, between Shell Haven Creek and Hole Haven Creek, which separates Canvey Island from the mainland.
Fawley Refinery is an oil refinery located at Fawley, Hampshire, England. The refinery is owned by Esso Petroleum Company Limited, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation, which acquired the site in 1925. Situated on Southampton Water, it was rebuilt and extended in 1951 and is now the largest oil refinery in the United Kingdom, and one of the most complex refineries in Europe. With a capacity of 270,000 barrels (43,000 m3) per day, Fawley provides 20 per cent of the UK's refinery capacity. Over 2,500 people are employed at the site.
Grangemouth Refinery is an oil refinery complex located on the Firth of Forth in Grangemouth, Scotland, currently operated by Petroineos. It is the only operating crude oil refinery in Scotland and currently one of the six remaining refineries in the UK. Grangemouth is the oldest refinery in the UK and supplies 65% of Scotland's oil products, including petrol and diesel.
The BPRefinery (Kent) was an oil refinery on the Isle of Grain in Kent. It was commissioned in 1953 and had a maximum processing capacity of 11 million tonnes of crude oil per year. It was decommissioned in August 1982.
The Esso Refinery at Milford Haven was an oil refinery situated on the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales. Construction started in 1957 and the refinery was opened in 1960 by the Duke of Edinburgh. Construction cost £18 million and the refinery had the initial capacity to process 4.5 million tons of crude oil a year.
Eastham Oil Terminal is situated close to the small town of Eastham on the Wirral Peninsula, beside the Manchester Ship Canal. It was commissioned in 1954 close to the Queen Elizabeth II Dock and is a storage and export facility for oil products refined at Stanlow Refinery, to which it is connected by pipeline. The site is currently operated by Nynas.
Petroleum refining in the United Kingdom produced around 51.45 million tonnes of petroleum products in 2023, down 16% from 2015 and 32% from 2011. There are six major and one minor petroleum refinery in the downstream sector of the UK oil industry.
The chemical industry in the United Kingdom is one of the UK's main manufacturing industries. At one time, the UK's chemical industry was a world leader. The industry has also been environmentally damaging, and includes radioactive nuclear industries.
Esso Birmingham Terminal is a wholesale diesel and petroleum supply terminal located next to the Fort Shopping Park, on Wood Lane in Erdington, Birmingham, UK. The site is also adjacent to the A47 Fort Parkway, otherwise known locally as the 'Heartlands Spine Road'.
Heysham oil refinery was located between Heysham and Middleton on the Heysham peninsula, Lancashire. It was built during the Second World War to produce high octane fuel for combat aircraft. It was later adapted to refine crude oil with a processing capacity of two million tonnes per year and was in operation from 1948 to 1976. It worked in conjunction with a chemical plant which produced ammonium nitrate fertilizer and other products, using feedstocks from the refinery.
Oil terminals are key facilities for the import, export, storage, blending, transfer and distribution of oil and petroleum products. Many terminals are located at coastal sites, such as Teesside and the lower Thames, to allow the offloading and loading of coastal shipping. Inland terminals, located around major cities, such as Birmingham and Manchester, facilitate the distribution of products to local industrial and commercial users. Many terminals have road tanker loading equipment for local distribution of products such as petrol, diesel, and heating oil. The terminals are connected through a network of underground pipelines to enable the transfer of oil and refined products across Britain.