Rampside Gas Terminal is a
gas terminal situated in
Barrow-in-Furness
Barrow-in-Furness is a port town in Cumbria, England. Historically in Lancashire, it was incorporated as a municipal borough in 1867 and merged with Dalton-in-Furness Urban District in 1974 to form the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness. In 2023 the ...
,
Cumbria
Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...
on the
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea or , gv, Y Keayn Yernagh, sco, Erse Sie, gd, Muir Èireann , Ulster-Scots: ''Airish Sea'', cy, Môr Iwerddon . is an extensive body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Ce ...
coast. It connects to gas fields in
Morecambe Bay
Morecambe Bay is a large estuary in northwest England, just to the south of the Lake District National Park. It is the largest expanse of intertidal mudflats and sand in the United Kingdom, covering a total area of . In 1974, the second larges ...
. It is situated adjacent to the former
Roosecote Power Station
Roosecote Power Station was a gas-fired, originally coal-fired power station, situated in the Roosecote district of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, North West England. The gas-fired station opened in 1991 and was the first CCGT power station to s ...
.
History
Production started in 1985 with the South Morecambe gas field. The North Morecambe terminal was built in 1992. The Rivers Fields Area was discovered in 1982. The terminal was built on a site used by the former Roosecote coal-fired power station.
Operations
It consists of three gas terminals, situated between
Roose
Roose or Roosecote is a suburb and ward of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. The word 'roose' is Celtic for "moor" or "heath" and the suffix 'cote' of Roosecote means "hut" or "huts" (the word 'cottage' is derived from 'cote'). Before the bui ...
to the north and
Rampside
Rampside is a village in Cumbria, England. Historically in Lancashire, it is located a few miles south-east of the town of Barrow-in-Furness, in the north-western corner of Morecambe Bay on the Furness peninsula.
History
There is evidence t ...
to the south. The sea around the gas platforms is around 30 metres (93 ft) deep. Centrica's facilities employ about 400 people, with a maximum of 172 people offshore, with around 140 being Centrica personnel. Offshore personnel are transferred via helicopter from
Blackpool International Airport
Blackpool Airport is an airport on the Fylde coast of Lancashire, England, in the Borough of Fylde, just outside the Borough of Blackpool. It was formerly known as Squires Gate Airport and Blackpool International Airport.
Ownership of the ai ...
and also directly from the terminal itself with flights currently operated by
Bond Offshore Helicopters. Gas is transferred to the terminals via 36 inch pipelines. Gas, after processing and compression, is supplied to the
National Transmission System
The United Kingdom's National Transmission System (NTS) is the network of gas pipelines that supply gas to about forty power stations and large industrial users from natural gas terminals situated on the coast, and to gas distribution companies th ...
. Gas was formerly transferred to the
Roosecote Power Station
Roosecote Power Station was a gas-fired, originally coal-fired power station, situated in the Roosecote district of Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, North West England. The gas-fired station opened in 1991 and was the first CCGT power station to s ...
, next-door to the north at Roose, before the gas turbine station was decommissioned in 2014.
The topsides for the Morecambe Bay production, accommodation and flare platforms were designed by Matthew Hall Engineering
[Matthew Hall Engineering publicity brochure n.d. but c. 1990] which was also responsible for jacket design, construction assistance and installation technical assistance. It was awarded the contract in May 1981. The plant had a processing capacity of 34 million standard cubic metres per day. Electricity generation was powered by four 4 MW Ruston gas turbines. The topsides accommodation was for 176 people.
Rivers Terminal
It is named as it is because its fields are all named after Lancashire rivers. This is operated by Spirit Energy on behalf of Chrysaor (following the acquisition of ConocoPhillips UK assets in 2019). The £60m contract for the construction by
Costain
Costain is a surname of English, Scottish and Manx origin. When originating in Scotland and northern Ireland the surname is an Anglicisation of the Gaelic ''Mac Austain'', meaning "son of ''Austin''". The English surname is a reduced form of '' ...
Oil and Gas Ltd (now called COGAP) of Manchester from January 2002. The whole £185m project, including the fields, was originally developed by
Burlington Resources
Burlington Resources Inc. was a company engaged in hydrocarbon exploration. In 2006, the company was acquired by ConocoPhillips.
History
In 1988, the company was formed to own the resource assets of Burlington Northern Railroad. The company beca ...
, who were bought by ConocoPhillips in 2006. The gas coming to the terminal is
sour
The gustatory system or sense of taste is the sensory system that is partially responsible for the perception of taste (flavor). Taste is the perception produced or stimulated when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor ...
and contains high levels of
nitrogen
Nitrogen is the chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. Nitrogen is a nonmetal and the lightest member of group 15 of the periodic table, often called the pnictogens. It is a common element in the universe, estimated at se ...
and
hydrogen sulphide
Hydrogen sulfide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is a colorless chalcogen-hydride gas, and is poisonous, corrosive, and flammable, with trace amounts in ambient atmosphere having a characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. The unde ...
. Gas is transferred from here to the North Morecambe Terminal. Waste hydrogen sulphide is burned to produce
sulphur dioxide
Sulfur dioxide (IUPAC-recommended spelling) or sulphur dioxide (traditional Commonwealth English) is the chemical compound with the formula . It is a toxic gas responsible for the odor of burnt matches. It is released naturally by volcanic activ ...
and converted to liquid
sulphuric acid
Sulfuric acid (American spelling and the preferred IUPAC name) or sulphuric acid ( Commonwealth spelling), known in antiquity as oil of vitriol, is a mineral acid composed of the elements sulfur, oxygen and hydrogen, with the molecular formu ...
which has industrial use.
North Morecambe Terminal
Operated by Spirit Energy. Gas arriving here has a higher concentration of carbon dioxide and nitrogen than the South Morecambe plant, and hence has to be treated in different processes, and thus needs a separate plant. There is three phase separation and carbon dioxide is removed via an amine wash. Nitrogen is removed via a cryogenic distillation process
South Morecambe Terminal
Operated by Spirit Energy. It receives gas only from the
South Morecambe field. First to begin production in 1985. Gas is compressed via two GE LM2500+ gas turbines and Vectra power turbines that drive gas compressers.
South Morecambe Terminal went off line in 2015 / 2016 and was decommissioned in 2016. The terminal will be demolished in late 2017.
Centrica gas fields
Operated by Hydrocarbon Resources Limited (HRL), owned by Centrica. These Centrica fields are some of the largest on the
UK Continental Shelf
The UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) is the region of waters surrounding the United Kingdom, in which the country has mineral rights. The UK continental shelf includes parts of the North Sea, the North Atlantic, the Irish Sea and the English Channel; t ...
, and produces enough gas to heat 1.5million UK homes.
North Morecambe
Discovered in March 1976. Production started in October 1994. Both North and South Morecambe fields are about 25 miles west of Blackpool. This field is not manned and has one platform.
South Morecambe
Discovered in September 1974. Production started in January 1985. Gas is transferred to the South Morecambe Terminal. The Central Processing Complex (CPC) is powered by four dual-fuel
gas turbine
A gas turbine, also called a combustion turbine, is a type of continuous flow internal combustion engine. The main parts common to all gas turbine engines form the power-producing part (known as the gas generator or core) and are, in the directi ...
s, powered by the field's gas or
low-sulphur diesel. There are five
drilling platform
A drilling rig is an integrated system that drills wells, such as oil or water wells, or holes for piling and other construction purposes, into the earth's subsurface. Drilling rigs can be massive structures housing equipment used to drill wat ...
s and the main accommodation platform is in the CPC. 80% of the total gas in the Morecambe Bay area is in this field.
Bains
Gas is transferred via the South Morecambe field.
Chrysaor gas fields
Acquired by Chrysaor from ConocoPhillips in 2019.
Formerly operated by HRL on behalf of ConocoPhillips. Also to include the Hodder (named after the
River Hodder
The River Hodder is in Lancashire, England. It is a County Biological Heritage Site.
It rises on White Hill and flows for approximately 23 miles to the River Ribble, of which it is the largest tributary.
The Hodder drains much of the Fore ...
) and Asland (named after the
River Asland) fields.
Millom and Dalton
Part of the Rivers project. Gas goes to the North Morecambe platform, where the fields are situated near to, then the North Morecambe terminal. Named after
Millom
Millom is a town and civil parish on the north shore of the estuary of the River Duddon in southwest Cumbria, historically part of Cumberland, England. It is situated just outside the Lake District National Park, about north of Barrow-in-Furne ...
and
Dalton-in-Furness
Dalton-in-Furness is a town and former civil parish in the Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England. In 2011 it had a population of 7,827. It is located north east of Barrow-in-Furness.
History
Dalton is mentioned in the Domesday Book, wr ...
in Cumbria. Millom discovered in April 1982 with production starting in August 1999. Dalton discovered in April 1990 with production starting in August 1999.
Calder
Gas goes to the Rivers terminal. Named after the
River Calder, Lancashire
The River Calder is a major tributary of the River Ribble in Lancashire, England and is around in length.
Course
Starting in Cliviger, its source is very close to that of the West Yorkshire river with the same name, and that of the River Irw ...
. Largest of the Rivers fields. Situated just south-west of the South Morecambe field. Discovered in February 1982.
Darwen and Crossens
Not in production. Gas will go to the Rivers terminal. Named after the
River Darwen
The River Darwen runs through Darwen and Blackburn in Lancashire, England, eventually joining the River Ribble at Walton le Dale south of Preston on its way to the Ribble Estuary.
Course
Originating at Jack's Key Clough where Grain Brook and Gr ...
and
River Crossens
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wa ...
.
See also
*
Barrow Offshore Wind
The Barrow Offshore Wind Farm is a 30 turbine 90MW capacity offshore wind farm in the East Irish Sea approximately south west of Walney Island, near Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England.
Construction of the wind farm took place between 2005 and ...
References
External links
ConocoPhillips in the East Irish SeaConocoPhillips operations in the UKCentrica operationsRivers projectNorth Morecambe terminal being built in 1992History of the gas fieldsCostain construction of the Rivers Terminal (PDF)
News items
Helicopter crash inquest in March 2009Gas storage plan in October 2007Irish Sea gas fields in December 2006Helicopter crash in December 2006Rivers terminal being built in 2003
{{ConocoPhillips
Barrow-in-Furness
Natural gas plants
Natural gas terminals
Natural gas infrastructure in the United Kingdom
Buildings and structures in Barrow-in-Furness
Energy infrastructure completed in 1985
Buildings and structures in Cumbria
Irish Sea
ConocoPhillips
Centrica
Morecambe Bay