Point of Ayr gas terminal

This plant plant has a capacity to treat 8.5 million cubic metres (300 million cubic feet) per day at standard conditions of sour gas from offshore. The gas is brought ashore via a 51 centimetres (20 inches) diameter, 33 km long pipeline. The plant separates methanol (used for hydrate inhibition), water and condensate from the gas stream. The gas is sweetened with an amine solvent to remove sulphur compounds down to 3.3 ppm hydrogen sulphide and 35 ppm mercaptans. The hydrocarbon dew-point of the gas is reduced by mechanical refrigeration to a quality suitable for pipeline transportation. The treated gas is piped to Connah's Quay Power Station at 30 bar via a 27 km pipeline. Any gas surplus to the fuel requirements of the power station is further treated and delivered to the Burton Point terminal of the National Transmission System.

The site is owned by eni Liverpool Bay Operating Company Ltd, a subsidiary of eni UK Ltd. It is built near the site of a former colliery, which closed in August 1996. Approval for the site was given in February 1993, to be constructed by Hamilton Oil (of Denver, USA). BHP bought Hamilton Oil in 1991. The amount of gas to be brought onshore would be enough to provide electricity for half of Wales. Construction took place in 1994. eni bought BHP Billiton's interest in the Liverpool Bay Development in April 2014.