Energy pathways

• Energy pathway


  • Flow of energy between a producer and a consumer, and how it reaches the consumer
  • E.g. pipeline, rail
• Pipeline


  • Pipes for long-distance transportation of a gas or liquid
  • Transports liquid petroleum and natural gas products
  • E.g. Baltic Pipe - Denmark to Poland
  • 900km long
  • Prone to disruption via corrosion, pressure, equipment failure, excavation and earthquakes
• Transmission lines


  • The bulk movement of electrical energy from a generating site to an electrical substation
  • Transports electricity
  • E.g. North SeaLink - Norway to UK
  • 720km long, 1400MW
  • Prone to disruption via cyber attacks - planting malware
  • USA to Russia in 2019
• Shipping routes


  • Any of the lines of travel followed by merchant sea vessels
  • Transports crude oil
  • E.g. Seawise Giant
  • 4.1 million barrel capacity
  • 261k GT
  • Prone to disruption via fires, explosions, collisions, grounding, oil spills and wars
• Road


  • Trucks and lorries can access remote areas
  • Transports coal, oil and gas
  • E.g. in the UK, road transport accounts for more than half of the oil demand
  • Prone to disruption via traffic, fires, road closures
• Rail


  • Train - fuel is transported in tank cars
  • Transports crude oil, coal, diesel and liquid natural gas
  • E.g. GB Railfreight run 2 20-tank trains a week, from North Walsham to Harwich
  • Prone to disruption via natural disaster, rail disruptions, theft and accidents