Shell St Fergus Gas Plant
The Shell St Fergus gas plant near Peterhead in Scotland fulfils an important role in meeting the UK’s energy needs by processing oil and gas that comes in from many offshore platforms and fields in the North Sea. The plant processes gas for supply to the national grid for power generation, and it extracts and separates natural gas liquids (NGL) for export by onshore pipeline to the Shell Fife NGL plant in Mossmorran, Fife.
About St Fergus
The St Fergus gas plant is integral to meeting UK gas requirements on a daily basis and helps maximise the value of the North Sea’s natural resources. The plant is near the village of St Fergus, approximately 65 km (40 miles) north of Aberdeen, 11 km (7 miles) north of Peterhead. It was officially opened by Prince Charles in October 1982.
The plant receives gas through the SEGAL (Shell Esso Gas and Associated Liquids) system. This includes wet gas transported from the Northern North Sea through the FLAGS (Far North Liquids and Associated Gas System) pipeline and from the Central North Sea through the Fulmar Gas Pipeline.
It also receives gas from Norway through the Tampen pipeline, which connects the Norwegian gas transport system to the FLAGS system. This link increases the UK’s ability to import gas from the Norwegian continental shelf.
The plant uses cryogenic processes to separate the hydrocarbon components. Methane is removed and delivered to National Grid for entry into the National Transmission System, which provides gas for cooking and heating. The remaining hydrocarbons - Ethane, Butane, Propane and Gasoline, are pumped through an underground pipeline to the Shell Fife NGL plant for further processing.
