South Wales Gas Pipeline - Planning and Significance

Planning and Significance

Ruled a national energy security issue by the government, the pipeline's significance lies in the UK’s move from being a net exporter to a net importer of energy as the North Sea oil and gas fields are used up. National Grid stated that, "The reality is that the offshore fields are decreasing in output and demand for gas from homes and businesses is growing at such a rate, that analysis shows that the UK will become increasingly dependent upon imported gas over the coming years." This depletion was predicted by Hubbert peak theory. As a result, the energy policy of the United Kingdom is likely to become an increasingly important issue and importation of liquid natural gas from the Middle East will help diversify UK energy supplies otherwise dependent on a few suppliers such as Russia.

This energy security concern accounted for the great rapidity in planning of the pipeline route, starting in 2003, as existing South Wales pipelines were too small to transport the gas needed from the planned terminals. An alternative subsea route using similar technology to the Langeled pipeline, which was being planned and built at the same time, was ruled out for expense reasons. Critics suggested that the money on the pipeline and terminals would have been better spent on renewable energy sources which would provide permanent energy security and would also have prevented global warming. National Grid claimed that the project also had significant benefits for the Welsh economy: "The pipeline means for the first time, South Wales will be at the ‘front end’ rather than the ‘tail end’ of the UK gas transmission network. At present, gas flows west into Wales from England." It also stated that the project will "secure Wales’ energy supply for many years to come, and will allow further economic development in South Wales."