Ingolstadt-Kralupy-Litvínov pipeline

The Ingolstadt-Kralupy-Litvínov pipeline (also known as IKL pipeline and MERO pipeline) is a crude oil pipeline in Central Europe. It allows the transport of crude oil from Germany to the Czech oil refineries of Kralupy and Litvínov. The name of the Ingolstadt-Kralupy-Litvínov pipeline is a misnomer, as the pipeline does not start in Ingolstadt and does not run to Kralupy and Litvínov.

History

Negotiations to construct the Ingolstadt-Kralupy-Litvínov pipeline started in October 1990 and were finished in 1992. Originally the pipeline was planned to run from Ingolstadt to Litvínov, but the route was changed to run from Vohburg to Nelahozeves. However, the original name of the pipeline was kept.cite web
url= http://www.mero.cz/ropovod_ikl.html
title= Ropovod IKL ("IKL Pipeline")
publisher= MERO ČR
accessdate=2008-08-09
language = Czech]

The construction of the pipeline started in 1994, and the pipeline was commissioned in 1996. It is the main pipeline in the Czech Republic allowing oil supplies other than those of Russian origin. In 2003, the pipeline was modernized by improving remote control systems and increasing capacity.cite book
title = Energy Policies of IEA Countries
publisher = OECD/IEA
date = 2005
url = http://www.iea.org/textbase/nppdf/free/2000/czech2001.pdf
format = PDF
isbn=92-64-109-293
accessdate = 2008-08-09]

Route

The convert|347|km|mi long pipeline starts from Vohburg in Germany, where it is connected with the Transalpine Pipeline, and ends at the oil depot in Nelahozeves near Prague in the Czech Republic. The German section of the pipeline is convert|178|km|mi and the Czech section is convert|169|km|mi long.cite web
url= http://www.petroleum.cz/doprava/ropovod-ikl.aspx
title= Ropovod IKL ("IKL Pipeline")
publisher= Petroleum.cz
accessdate=2008-08-09
language = Czech]

Technical description

The pipeline has a diameter of convert|714|mm|in, and the pressure varies from 65 bar (943 psi) in Vohburg to 20 bar (290 psi) in Nelahozeves. The capacity of the pipeline is around ten million tonnes per annum, of which normally 30% is in use. The additional capacity is reserved for securing oil supplies in case of disruption of Russian supplies through the Druzhba pipeline as it happened in July 2008.cite news
url= http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/11/europe/czech.php
title= Russian oil to Czechs slows after U.S. pact
author= Andrew E. Kramer
publisher= International Herald Tribune
date=2008-07-11
accessdate=2008-08-09] The control center, which controls the whole pipeline, is located in Vohburg. The backup control center is located in Nelahozeves.

The tank farm in Vohburg consists of four tanks, with a total capacity of 200,000 cubic meters.

Operating company

The pipeline is operated by MERO Pipeline GmbH.

References