Point of Ayr Gas Terminal Future and Current Status

The Point of Ayr Gas Terminal has a complex and interesting future and current status. The terminal was decommissioned in 2010.

It's worth noting that the terminal was operated by the gas company Centrica. The terminal was a key part of the UK's gas infrastructure, but its closure marked the end of an era for the site.

The terminal's closure was a significant event, but it's not the only thing that's happened to the site since then. The site has undergone significant redevelopment efforts in recent years.

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The Point of Ayr Gas Terminal is a busy operation, situated just off the A548 and run by eni Liverpool Bay Operating Company Ltd. The terminal is located near Prestatyn, with offices at Llaneurgain House in Northop Country Park.

The plant has a significant capacity, treating 8.5 million cubic metres of sour gas per day at standard conditions. This gas is brought ashore via a 20 in diameter, 33 km pipeline.

The gas is then processed to remove impurities, with the plant separating methanol, water, and condensate from the gas stream. The treated gas is then piped to Connah's Quay Power Station at 30 bar via a 24 in diameter, 27 km pipeline.

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300 jobs at risk due to BHP Billiton's decision to put its Irish Sea business up for sale. This move affects 300 workers at the Point of Ayr gas terminal and Northop HQ.

BHP Billiton operates the Point of Ayr gas terminal in Talacre, administrative headquarters in Northop Country Park, and four other gas and oil fields in Liverpool Bay. These sites have been in operation since 1996.

The company's global fuel operations employ more than 100,000 people worldwide. The sale of its UK petroleum operations is still in its early stages, with no confirmed buyer yet.

BHP Billiton has confirmed it will continue to operate as usual until a buyer is found. This news has caused uncertainty for employees and those living nearby, with Delyn MP David Hanson urging anyone with concerns to contact him.

The Point of Ayr gas terminal and Northop HQ are part of a larger operation that has invested over £1 billion in the project. This includes £250 million of onshore facilities at Flintshire, where gas resources are brought ashore and pumped to Connah's Quay gas power station.

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The operation of this plant is quite fascinating. It's situated just off the A548, next to the North Wales Coast Line.

The plant is run by eni Liverpool Bay Operating Company Ltd, with offices at Llaneurgain House at Northop Country Park. The nearest town is Prestatyn, to the west.

The plant has a huge capacity to treat 8.5 million cubic metres of gas per day at standard conditions. This is a massive amount of gas.

The gas is brought ashore via a 20 in diameter, 33 km pipeline. This pipeline is quite long.

The plant separates methanol, water, and condensate from the gas stream. This is an important step in the process.

The gas is sweetened with an amine solvent to remove sulphur compounds down to 3.3 ppm hydrogen sulphide and 35 ppm mercaptans. This ensures the gas is safe to transport.

The hydrocarbon dew-point of the gas is reduced by mechanical refrigeration to a quality suitable for pipeline transportation. This is a clever way to prepare the gas.

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The treated gas is piped to Connah's Quay Power Station at 30 bar via a 24 in diameter, 27 km pipeline. This pipeline is a bit shorter than the one that brings the gas ashore.

Any gas surplus to the fuel requirements of the power station is further treated and delivered to the Burton Point terminal of the National Transmission System (NTS).

The Point of Ayr Gas Terminal has a complex relationship with regulatory bodies, particularly the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

A recent update saw the HSE take down an immediate prohibition notice served on Eni UK due to safety concerns at the terminal.

The notice claimed that Eni's gauge removal work put personnel at risk of ionising radiation.

Eni UK has since implemented actions to close out an Improvement Notice issued by the HSE.

Around 300 workers are currently employed at the facility, which has been in operation since 1995.

A prohibition notice is stronger than an Improvement Notice, stopping an operator from performing the prohibited work immediately.

No personnel were harmed during the gauge removal activity, which was completed without incident.

The Point of Ayr Gas Terminal is getting a new lease on life as part of the HyNet North West Carbon Dioxide Pipeline project.

The terminal will be repurposed to transport carbon dioxide, with the goal of storing it permanently in depleted gas fields in the Irish Sea. This is a key part of the UK's Net Zero target.

A new carbon dioxide pipeline will be built between Ince and Flint, and an existing natural gas pipeline will be repurposed to reach the Point of Ayr site. The Point of Ayr Terminal will be modified to process carbon dioxide instead of natural gas.

The carbon dioxide will be filtered and compressed for transport via the Foreshore Pipeline for safe storage in offshore Liverpool Bay depleted oil and gas fields.

The project involves the demolition of some structures at the Point of Ayr Terminal, but the terminal itself will be retained and used for the new purpose.

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