Langeled pipeline

The Langeled pipeline (originally known as Britpipe) is an underwater gas pipeline transporting Norwegian natural gas to the United Kingdom. Before the completion of the Nord Stream pipeline, it was the longest subsea pipeline in the world.[1][2]

Langeled pipeline
Easington terminal of the Langeled pipeline
Location of Langeled pipeline
Location
CountryNorway, United Kingdom
General directioneast-south-west
FromNyhamna, Norway
Passes throughSleipner Riser platform
ToEasington, United Kingdom
General information
Typenatural gas
PartnersPetoro, Statoil, Norske Shell, DONG Energy, ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, Gassco
OperatorGassco
Technical information
Length1,166 km (725 mi)
Maximum discharge25.5 billion cubic meters per year

History

The project was launched under the original name Britpipe. In October 2003, Royal Dutch Shell, ExxonMobil and Statoil signed agreements to supply natural gas through the Britpipe.[3] The pipeline's construction began in 2004.[4] The largest part of the pipeline was installed by Acergy Piper, a pipe-laying ship of Acergy.[5] Other pipe-laying ships, which were used, are Solitaire of Allseas, and Saipem 7000 of Saipem.[6]

The pipeline was opened in two stages. The southern section (Sleipner Riser platform to Easington) began piping gas on 1 October 2006, the northern section (Nyhamna to Sleipner Riser) opened in October 2007. The official opening of the project was held in London on 16 October 2006 by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Norwegian counterpart, Jens Stoltenberg.[7]

Route
Ormen Lange Nyhamna

The pipeline runs 1,166 kilometres (725 mi) through the North Sea from the Nyhamna terminal in Norway via the Sleipner Riser platform in the North Sea to Easington Gas Terminal in England.[5][8] The pipeline is designated to bring natural gas from the Ormen Lange gas process terminal to the UK, but through the connector at Sleipner Riser it provides also an opportunity to send gas through Gassco's existing network to continental Europe.

Technical description

The annual capacity of the Langeled pipeline is 25.5 billion cubic metres (900 billion cubic feet). That equates to some 20% of Britain's peak gas demand.[4] With the energy content of natural gas at 39 MJ (megajoules) per normal cubic meter, the capacity energy flux is 31.5 GW (gigawatts).

The Langeled pipeline supplements the Vesterled system with annual capacity about 12 bcm, which runs from Heimdal Riser platform in the North Sea to St. Fergus in Scotland.

The project cost £1.7 billion.[4]

Nyhamna-Sleipner Riser section

The Nyhamna-Sleipner Riser leg has a diameter of 1,067 millimetres (42.0 in) and can operate with a pressure of 250 bar.[9]

Hub at Sleipner Riser

At Sleipner Riser the Langeled has a connection to the existing Gassled transport system.

Sleipner Riser-Easington section

The Sleipner Riser-Easington leg has a diameter of 1,118 millimetres (44.0 in), which makes it the largest submarine pipeline in the North Sea.[9] Its pressure is 155 bar.

Ownership and operation

The owner of the Langeled pipeline is Gassled. The operator for Langeled is Gassco and technical service provider is Statoil. Statoil also runs the gas export project.[9] The principal funding of the project was provided by the syndicated loan structured by ABN AMRO and mainly subscribed by several banks, among them Barclays Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Defoe Fournier & Cie.

See also

References
  1. Moskwa, Wojciech (13 September 2007). "Norway's Ormen Lange gas starts flowing to Britain". Reuters. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  2. "Nord Stream Passes Ships and Bombs". The Moscow Times. Bloomberg. 5 May 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  3. "UK signs Norway gas deal". BBC News. 3 October 2003. Retrieved 3 October 2009.
  4. "Gas pipeline to begin operations". BBC. 30 September 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  5. "Acergy Completes Langeled Ahead of Schedule". Downstream Today. 3 October 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  6. "Langeled Pipeline to be Completed Below Budget". Downstream Today. 23 August 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  7. Matthew Tempest; Hilary Osborne (16 October 2006). "Blair opens new gas pipeline". Guardian. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  8. Rita Tubb (3 May 2007). "Rust-proofing the World's Longest Subsea Pipeline". Downstream Today. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
  9. "Statoil to Provide Technical Services to Langeled Pipeline System". Downstream Today. 6 September 2006. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
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