British Pipeline Agency Ltd (BPA) is a joint venture, established in 1969,[1] between BP Oil UK and Shell UK.[2] The company operates the UK oil pipeline network of oil pipelines which transport petroleum products around the UK.
BPA replaced the pipeline operations group of Shell Mex & BP in the late 1960s and took over the role as the majority operator on the Government Pipeline and Storage System (GPSS).[3]
As originally conceived the pipeline system comprised 1,600 miles of pipelines carrying 7.25 million tons a year of light oils, or 470 million ton miles annually.[4]
GPA continued as the major operator of the GPSS under reimbursable and fully indemnified contracts until the 1990s when those contracts were ended and the GPSS was instead operated by a number of companies under competitively tendered term contracts. [5]
The BPA board comprises five directors, although the articles of association allows for up to ten.[6] One director acts as the chairman and one is the general manager. There is also a company secretary. The registered office is 5-7 Alexandra Road, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5BS.[6]
In 2020 the company made a pre-tax profit of £1,490,000.[6]
