Tranmere Oil Terminal
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox oil refinery
| name = Tranmere Oil Terminal
| image = Tranmere oil terminal - geograph.org.uk - 291919.jpg
| caption = Viewed from the shore
| location_map = United Kingdom Cheshire
| location_map_width =
| location_map_text = Location within Cheshire
| coordinates =
| coordinates_ref =
| country = England, United Kingdom
| city = Birkenhead, Merseyside
| operator =Shell UK (1924–2011)
Essar Oil UK (2011-present)
| owner = Essar Energy (2011-present)
| founded = 1960
| closure =
| capacity bbl/d = 296000
| ref units =
| oil tank =
| oil refining center =
}}
Tranmere Oil Terminal is situated on the River Mersey, {{convert|1.5|miles|km|abbr=on}} south of Birkenhead. It was opened on 8 June 1960 to handle vessels of up to 65,000 tons, at two berths (North and South).{{cite web|url=http://www.canalarchive.org.uk/Tpages/html/T2224.html|title=Port of Manchester - Queen Elizabeth II Dock|work=canalarchive.org.uk|accessdate=7 September 2016}} It is connected to the Stanlow Oil Refinery by a {{convert|15|miles|km|abbr=on}} crude oil pipeline and a fuel oil pipeline. Part of the terminal occupies the site of a former ferry service to Liverpool, with the extant pier considerably modified.
The terminal is operated by the Mersey Docks and Harbour Company.{{Cite web |date=January 2019 |title=Plans in the pipeline |url=https://www.insidermedia.com/publications/north-west-business-insider/north-west-business-insider-january-2019/plans-in-the-pipeline |access-date=7 June 2020 |website=Insider Media}}
History
The terminal was built jointly by Shell Oil, then the owner of Stanlow Oil Refinery, and the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board at a cost of £6 million.{{Cite news|date=9 June 1960|title=£6 m. Oil Terminal Inaugurated (p. 5)|work=The Times}} It was built to replace the role of the Herculaneum Dock and the later Eastham Oil Terminal which had only been inaugurated in 1954, but which did not have sufficient water depth to handle the 65,000 ton vessels that were operating by 1960.
By 2001, the terminal had two converted crude oil tanks which could handle {{convert|30000|t|LT|abbr=on}}.{{harvnb|Collard|2001|p=50}} These were used for the storage of crude oil from the Foinaven oilfield.
Current operations
All the crude oil feedstock for Stanlow Oil Refinery is delivered via the Tranmere terminal. The terminal is capable of handling vessels of up to 65,000 tonnes, and cargo sizes up to 170,000 tonnes on part laden Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs).{{Cite web|title=Tranmere Oil Terminal|url=http://www.essaroil.co.uk/our-work/tranmere-oil-terminal/|website=Essar}}
Tranmere handles 140 ships every year, carrying a total of 9 million tonnes of crude oil.
The size and operating pressure of the pipelines between Tranmere and Stanlow are as shown:{{Cite web |title=Safe working adjacent to high pressure pipelines |url=https://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/gf2.ti/aw/264770/21938/PDF/5a5c52010d1a5e605f575d42/1201557%201%20Comment.pdfhttps://consultations.southglos.gov.uk/gf2.ti/aw/264770/21938/PDF/5a5c52010d1a5e605f575d42/1201557%201%20Comment.pdf |access-date=7 December 2023}}
| class="wikitable"
|+Tranmere to/from and Stanlow pipelines |Service |Crude oil |Fuel oil |
| Length
|15 mile, 24 km |15 mile, 24 km |
| Diameter
|24/28 inch, 610 mm |16 inch, 400 mm |
| Pressure
|650 psi, 45 bar |650 psi, 45 bar |
The minimum water depth at Tranmere is 40 ft. (12.2 m), and there is a tidal range of 30 ft. (9.14 m).
See also
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
- {{cite book|first=Ian|last=Collard|title=Mersey Ports: Liverpool & Birkenhead|publisher=Tempus Publishing Ltd.|location=Stroud|year=2001|isbn=9780752421100|oclc=223276957}}
External links
{{commons category|Tranmere oil terminal}}
- [http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=334000&Y=386000&width=700&height=400&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=0&scale=25000&up.x=261&up.y=7 MultiMap]
{{Oil storage and distribution in the United Kingdom}}
{{Coord|53.3782|-3.0015|source:geograph.co.uk_region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:Buildings and structures in Birkenhead