Longest submarine pipeline awaits gas

The 280 mi, 36 in. Shell U.K. Ltd./Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd. North Sea Pipeline which extends from the Brent field to a shoreside terminal at St. Fergus, Scotl., is likely to remain idle for 2.5 yr until the first gas is ready to flow into the transmission network. Shell/Esso must extract 2.35 million tons/yr of natural gas liquids (NGL) before delivering the gas to British Gas Corp. Brent field can support a 600 million cu ft/day gas-supply contract with British Gas. Shell/Esso is planning to build a 135 mi, 16 in. pipeline from St. Fergus to a site at Mossmoran, which is 4 mi inland from the proposed Braefoot Bay terminal, and for which a fractionation, refrigeration, and storage plant is planned. The permits needed to begin work on the NGL plant and the loading terminal have not yet been obtained, mainly because of local opposition. Storage at the Mossmoran site would include two 50,000 cu m propane tanks, two 35,000 cu m butane tanks, and two 30,000 cu m gasoline tanks. The terminal will be able to handle tankers with a capacities of 6000-60,000 cu m.