The Ninian Pipeline is a 175 kilometres (109 mi) long crude oil pipeline, which runs from the Ninian Central platform in the northern North Sea to the Sullom Voe Terminal in Shetland Islands of Scotland.
| Ninian Pipeline | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Province | East Shetland Basin |
| From | Ninian Central platform |
| Passes through | North Sea |
| To | Sullom Voe Terminal |
| General information | |
| Type | oil |
| Partners | BG, BP, CNR International, Chevron Corporation, Eni, Lundin Petroleum, Nippon Oil, Total S.A. |
| Operator | BP |
| Commissioned | 1978 |
| Technical information | |
| Length | 175 km (109 mi) |
| Maximum discharge | 0.91 million barrels per day (~4.5×107 t/a) |
| Diameter | 36 in (914 mm) |
Specification
editThe Ninian pipeline was laid in July 1976. It is a X65 steel pipeline with an outside diameter of 36 inches (910 mm) with a wall thickness of 0.75 and 0.875 inches.[1]
The pipeline has a corrosion coating and a 65 mm concrete buoyancy coating. There are 200 kg Sacrificial zinc (Impalloy) anodes at ever 12th joint, with a total mass of 150 tonnes. Buckle arrestors comprising steel sleeves 1-inch thick and 2 m long are located every 36th joint.[1]
The pipeline has a maximum design capacity of 910,000 bbl/day and a maximum operating pressure of 1800 psia (124 barg).[1]
Oil production
editNinian Central acted as an oil reception and export hub for a number of installations in the northern North Sea. Ninian Central receives, or received, oil from the following installations:[2]
- Ninian Northern (24" oil pipeline)
- Ninian Southern (24" oil pipeline)
- Strathspey (8" and 10" oil pipelines)
- Heather (16" oil pipeline)
- Magnus (24" oil pipeline)
- Alwyn (12" oil pipeline)
- Lyell (12" and 8" oil pipeline)
From the Ninian Central oil processing facilities crude oil flows to the crude oil booster pumps, a metering skid and Main Oil Line (MOL) pumps.[3] After the MOL pumps the fluids were co-mingled with oil from the Strathspey, Ninian Northern, Heather and Magnus platforms.
Oil from the field is exported through the 36" pipeline to Sullom Voe (175 km).[4]
The first oil was received at the Sullom Voe Terminal in December 1978.
Owner and operator
editThe pipeline was initially operated by BP on behalf of the partner companies.[4]
As of June 2021 the pipeline was operated by EnQuest on behalf of the owners:[5]
- EnQuest Heather Limited (Operator) 18.0511%
- CNR International (UK) Ltd 63.3271%
- Chevron North Sea Ltd 2.2601%
- Total E&P UK Limited 16.3616%
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Oilfield Publications Limited (1985). The North Sea Platform Guide. Oilfield Publications Limited. p. 564.
- ^ Lindop, Paul H (1992). "The Ninian Pipeline System in the UK North Sea - Developments for the second generation of fields". Energy Exploration & Exploitation. 10 (4/5): 247–9, 254.
- ^ Ninian Central Process Flow Diagram
- ^ a b Department of Trade and Industry (1994). The Energy Report. HMSO. p. 144. ISBN 0115153802.
- ^ "Ninian pipeline system" (PDF). Retrieved 10 November 2022.