Graben area export line (GAEL)
This section describes the Graben Area Export Line (GAEL). It is made up of two sections: The Northern and Southern Spurlines. More information, including contact details can be found here.
The Northern Spurline, a 75 kilometre (km) long 24-inch pipeline running from the base of the ETAP oil export riser via a wye (the connection of the Southern Spurline) located 3 km from ETAP to the base of a riser on the INEOS Forties Pipeline System (FPS) Unity platform entry point to FPS.
The Southern Spurline, a 38 km long 24-inch pipeline running from a subsea isolation valve assembly (SSIV) 250m from the Elgin Platform via a wye (the Southern Spurline wye assembly) located 2km from the SSIV to the wye on the Northern Spurline.
The Shearwater platform is connected to the Southern Spurline wye assembly by an 8km pipeline. A further wye (the Shearwater wye) is located adjacent to the Southern Spurline wye assembly and has a spare leg available to future connections.
GAEL is operated by INEOS FPS Limited and currently transports unstabilised oil from the ETAP, Elgin/Franklin and Shearwater platforms to INEOS's FPS. Subsequent transportation in FPS leads to the delivery of Forties Blend at Hound Point and raw gas at Kinneil.
The Northern Spurline was commissioned in 1998 and the Southern Spurline in 2001 and it is expected that GAEL will remain in service to at least 2040.
Both the Northern and Southern Spurlines are divided rights systems and each of the owners has a divided capacity right. New business activity has introduced Fram, Arran, Columbus into Shearwater and Seagull into ETAP. Any third party interested in transporting volume through either of the GAEL spurlines should contact:
- The System Operator (INEOS FPS Limited) for further technical information; and
- Each of the owners to discuss commercial terms and availability of capacity in that owners divided capacity right.
The contacts in each company are as follows:
INEOS FPS Limited (System Operator and Capacity Owner)
Frazer Smith
Business Manager
INEOS FPS Limited
Suite 2, Second Floor
Prime View
Prime Four Business Park
Kingswells
Aberdeen
AB15 8PU
frazer.smith@ineos.com
Tel: 01224 084429
E.F. Oil and Gas Limited (Capacity owner)
Mirja Tuuli
TotalEnergies E&P UK Limited
Total House, Tarland Road
Westhill, Aberdeen
AB32 6JZ
mirja.tuuli@totalenergies.com
Eni Elgin/Franklin Limited (Capacity owner)
Roberto Martignoni
Eni Elgin/Franklin Limited
Ebury Bridge House
10 Ebury Bridge Road
London
SW1W 8PZ
Roberto.martignoni@eni.com
NEO Energy Petroleum Limited (Capacity owner)
David Moir
NEO Energy Petroleum Limited
9th Floor, The Silver Fin Building
455 Union Street
Aberdeen
AB11 6DB
david.moir@neweuropeanoffshore.com
Ithaca SP E&P Limited (Capacity owner)
Alex Johnstone
Ithaca Oil and Gas Limited
Hill Of Rubislaw
Aberdeen
AB15 6XL
ajohnstone@ithacaenergy.com
ONE-Dyas E&P Limited (Capacity owner)
Robin Tromp
ONE-Dyas E&P Limited
UNStudio, 7th Floor
Parnassusweg 815
1082 LZ Amsterdam
The Netherlands
robin.tromp@onedyas.com
Premier Oil UK Limited (Capacity Owner)
Alasdair Gilmour
Premier Oil E&P UK Ltd
Prime Four Business Park
Kingswells
Aberdeen
AB15 8PU
alasdair.gilmour@harbourenergy.com
Shell UK Limited (Capacity owner)
Charles Cole
Shell UK Limited
1 Altens Farm Road
Nigg
Aberdeen
AB12 3FY
charles.cole@shell.com
TotalEnergies E&P UK Limited (Capacity owner)
Mirja Tuuli
TotalEnergies E&P UK Limited
Total House, Tarland Road
Westhill, Aberdeen
AB32 6JZ
mirja.tuuli@totalenergies.com
TotalEnergies Offshore UK Limited (Capacity owner)
Mirja Tuuli
TotalEnergies Offshore UK Limited
Total House, Tarland Road
Westhill, Aberdeen
AB32 6JZ
mirja.tuuli@totalenergies.com