News

Oil pipeline repair could take up to four weeks 

Having acquired the 450,000 barrels per day Forties Pipeline System (FPS) on 31st October, INEOS discovered a small hairline crack in the pipe at Red Moss near Netherley, just south of Aberdeen during a recent routine inspection. 
On Monday (18th) INEOS said that the pipeline was still undergoing assessment with there being a possible two to four weeks before it will be operational again.  In addition to carrying crude oil, FPS is also carries around a third of the UK’s offshore natural gas output. 
A repair and oil spill response team was mobilised in early December after a very small amount of oil seepage was reported.  Measures to contain the seepage were put in place, no oil has been detected entering the environment and the pipe has been continuously monitored.  
A 300-metre cordon was set-up and a small number of local residents were placed in temporary accommodation as precautionary measure.  The pipeline pressure was reduced while a full assessment of the situation was made.  
Despite reducing the pressure, the crack extended, and as a consequence the Incident Management Team decided that a controlled shutdown of the pipeline was the safest way to proceed. 
This will allow for a suitable repair method to be worked up based on the latest inspection data, while reducing the risk of injury to staff and the environment. 
As always, safety remains our top priority and local residents, FPS users and other stakeholders are all being kept fully informed of the situation as it develops.  
www.ineos.com