Oil and Pipelines Agency

The OPA was formed at the end of 1985{{cite news|title=Oil and Pipelines Agency|date=19 November 1985|work=Financial Times}} under the Oil and Pipelines Act 1985 (c. 62).{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/62|title=Oil and Pipelines Act 1985|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom|access-date=30 March 2012}} It was the successor organisation to the British National Oil Corporation (BNOC) in its responsibility for managing the Department of Energy's pipelines and storage depots. It was not initially responsible for either the Ministry of Defence spur pipelines or storage depots.Tim Whittle: Fuelling the Wars – PLUTO and the Secret Pipeline Network 1936 to 2015 p145 to 146 published 2017. {{ISBN|9780992855468}} Its statutory role was to be responsible for the safe, efficient, economic and effective management of the GPSS. The OPA's tasks included maximising private sector usage of the GPSS provided this did not impinge upon its primary purpose of supplying the required fuel for defence purposes and did not require capital investment from public funds. In 1989 the whole GPSS was amalgamated as a strategic defence asset under the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Defence and the MoD sponsored the OPA as its managing agent through Defence Equipment and Support.

Initially the GPSS had been operated under reimbursable, fully indemnified contracts by the British Pipeline Agency (BPA), Esso, Texaco and Shell. Starting in the late 1980s, OPA contracted out the GPSS in sections as these contracts were terminated. By 1994 the entire GPSS had been let under fixed priced contracts.Tim Whittle: Fuelling the Wars – PLUTO and the Secret Pipeline Network 1936 to 2015 p166 to 168 published 2017. {{ISBN|9780992855468}}

In February 2012, Costain was awarded a three-year contract to operate and maintain the entire GPSS on behalf of the OPA.{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/oil-and-pipelines-agency/about#government-pipelines-and-storage-system-gpss|title = About us}} In August 2014, the contract was extended for a further year, until April 2016.

In May 2012 the UK Government announced plans sell all or part of the GPSS{{cite news|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-fuel-network-idUKBRE84L0YM20120522|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307033412/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-fuel-network-idUKBRE84L0YM20120522|url-status=dead|archive-date=7 March 2016|title=UK considers sale of aviation fuel network|date=22 May 2012|work=Reuters}} and legislation to enable it to do so was included in the Energy Act 2013. The period leading up to the selling off of the GPSs saw a nine-fold increase in the size of the OPA from 19 staff in March 2009 to 177 in March 2015. The cost of running the agency also increased over the same period from £2.2million in 2008/9 to £10.4million in 2014/15.OPA accounts 2008-9The Oil and Pipelines Agency accounts 2014–15

In March 2015, the government announced it had agreed to sell the GPSS to Compañía Logística de Hidrocarburos (CLH) for £82m, with CLH taking over operation of the GPSS on 30 April 2015. A contractual agreement between the MoD and CLH ensured military fuel requirements continued to be met using the GPSS. The residual OPA remained to manage 6 Naval Oil Fuel Depots not included in the sale.{{cite news|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/mod-sells-the-government-pipeline-and-storage-system-for-82-million|title=MOD sells the Government Pipeline and Storage System for £82 million|date=20 March 2015|publisher=Government of the United Kingdom}} It was stated that the GPSS would be sold for £82 million but also that the over the next ten years the MoD would pay £237 million for the use of the system.Government Pipeline and Storage System Sale Update: Written statement – HCWS434 made on 20 March 2015. MoD had previously paid nothing for the use of the GPSS and also gained from the surplus of income over expenditure that OPA used to generate from running the GPSS.Tim Whittle: Fuelling the Wars – PLUTO and the Secret Pipeline Network 1936 to 2015 p205 published 2017. {{ISBN|9780992855468}}

The current responsibilities of the OPA include: to receive, store and deliver marine fuel to meet the MoD ‘s requirements; to manage, operate and maintain the Oil Fuel Depots; to manage and maintain the salt caverns at Plumley and Cape of Good Hope (Cheshire) Petroleum Storage Depot (PSD); and to attract third-party customers.{{Cite web|date=March 2017|title=Oil and Pipelines Agency - Framework Agreement|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/607632/Framework_Document_OPA_Mar_2017.pdf|access-date=17 July 2017|website=government.uk}}

The management board comprises an independent Non-executive Chairman appointed by the Minister; a Chief Executive appointed by the Minister in consultation with the Chairman and MOD Sponsor; the MOD Sponsor; and two non-executive members.

The first Board (with effect from 1 December 1985) were: G. W. Dunkerley (Chairman), K. J. Vaughan (Chief Executive), O. H. Heald (Non-executive member), and C. G. Finch (Non-executive member).{{Cite news|date=28 November 1985|title=Appointments|page=19|work=The Times}}

In 2019 the Board comprised: Graham Ellis (Chairman since 2012), Adrian Jackson (Chief Executive and Accounting Officer since 2015), Rachel Pearson (MOD Sponsor), Matt Harrison (Non-executive Director), and Trevor Woolley (Non-executive Director). The Company Secretary was Marie Edwards.{{Cite web|title=The Oil and Pipelines Agency Account 2018-19|url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/847314/OPA_Agency_Account_2018-19_-_accessibility_version.pdf|access-date=17 July 2020|website=gov.uk}}

In January 2024 the Board comprised: Adrian Jackson, Chief Executive; Tim Backhouse, Chief Financial Officer; Paul Grange, Chief Operating Officer; Ian Lindsay, Engineering Director; Sue Jemmett, Human Resources Director; Lisa England, Compliance and Risk Director; Mark Jessop, Programme Director.{{Cite web |title=Oil and Pipelines Agency |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/oil-and-pipelines-agency |access-date=19 January 2024}}

• British Pipeline Agency

• Exolum Pipeline System

{{Reflist}}

• Tim Whittle: Fuelling the Wars – PLUTO and the Secret Pipeline Network 1936 to 2015 published 2017. {{ISBN|9780992855468}}

• [https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/oil-and-pipelines-agency Official web site]
• [http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/nao_reports/03-04/0304941.pdf Oil and Pipelines Agency Account 2003–2004, National Audit Office report, London: The Stationery Office, October 8, 2004.]
• [http://www.official-documents.co.uk/document/hc0506/hc03/0350/0350.pdf Oil and Pipelines Agency Account 2004–2005, London: The Stationery Office, July 7, 2005.]

{{United Kingdom Ministry of Defence|state=collapsed}}

{{Oil storage and distribution in the United Kingdom}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Petroleum infrastructure in the United Kingdom

Category:Defence agencies of the United Kingdom

Category:Statutory corporations of the United Kingdom government

Category:Oil pipeline companies

Category:1985 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Government agencies established in 1985