South European Pipeline
Location
Country France
Switzerland
Germany
Coordinates

43°27′45″N 4°54′52″E / 43.4625°N 4.91444°E / 43.4625; 4.91444{{#coordinates:43|27|45|N|4|54|52|E| | |name=

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General direction south–north
From Fos-sur-Mer, France
Passes through Strasbourg
To Karlsruhe
Oberhoffen-sur-Moder
Feyzin
General information
Type Crude oil
Owner Société du pipeline sud-européen
Commissioned 1962; 1971–1972
Technical information
Length 1,848 km (Bad rounding hereScript error mi)
Maximum discharge 23 million metric tons per year
Diameter 34 in (Script error mm)
Number of pumping stations 12

The South European Pipeline (also known as Lavera–Karlsruhe pipeline; French: Pipeline sud-européen) is a crude oil pipeline system in France, Switzerland, and Germany. It is built and operated by Société du pipeline sud-européen. The system supplies crude oil to refineries in Feyzin, Cressier, Reichstett, and Karlsruhe.[1]

Technical description

The main 769-kilometre-long (478 mi) 34-inch (860 mm) pipeline starts in Fos-sur-Mer (Lavera) in France and runs through Strasbourg to Karlsruhe in Germany.[2][3] It became operational in 1962–1963.[4][3][5] As of 2011 it is inactive as the Fos–Strasbourg section is mothballed. Another 714-kilometre-long (444 mi) 40-inch (1,000 mm) pipeline runs from Fos to Strasbourg (Oberhoffen-sur-Moder), and 260-kilometre-long (160 mi) 24-inch (610 mm) pipeline runs from Fos to Lyon (Feyzin).[2] These pipelines became operational in 1971–1972. The system uses Twelve pumping stations. The maximum discharge of the system is 35 million metric tons per year, although the real used annual amount is approximately 23 million metric tons per year.[6][7]

Accidents

In August 2009, a breach in the pipeline led to crude oil spilling into Réserve naturelle nationale des Coussouls de Crau, a nature reserve in France.[8]

See also

References

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  2. 2.0 2.1 Script error
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  6. "A European Dimension. The South European Pipeline". SPSE. http://www.spse.fr/en/accueil/index.html. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
  7. Script error
  8. Rosnoblet, Jean-Francois; Cru, Mathilde; Shirbon, Estelle (2009-08-07). "Pipeline spills crude into French nature reserve". Reuters. http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE57622F20090807. Retrieved 2010-02-18.
fr:Pipeline sud-européen