Gas and Oil Pipelines National Policy Statement

09-Nov-09

The Government has released its draft Gas and Oil Pipelines National Policy Statement (EN-4) on the 9th November 2009.

The draft NPS highlights the efficient import, storage and transmission of natural gas and oil products as crucial to meeting our energy needs during the transition to a low carbon economy. Achieving national objectives relating to security of supply by enabling investment in new infrastructure is a key objective of the draft NPS.

Responsibility for decision making on this infrastructure will not all fall to the IPC but will vary across England, Wales and Scotland and also between onshore and offshore.

The infrastructure covered by this NPS is the nationally significant infrastructure caught by the relevant Planning Act thresholds (sections 17 – 21 of the Planning Act 2008), as follows:
(i) Underground gas storage and LNG facilities (in addition to meeting specified tests)

(ii) Gas reception facilities with a projected maximum flow rate of at least 4.5 million standard cubic metres of gas per day (Mcm/d) (there is no capacity test).

(iii) Gas Transporter Pipelines (subject to tests)

(iv) Pipelines over 16.093km (10 miles) long which would otherwise require consent under s.1 of the Pipe-lines Act 1962 together with diversions to such pipelines regardless of length. These pipelines are referred to in this NPS as cross-country pipelines.

This NPS does not cover pipelines carrying anything other than gas or oil.