BUSINESS RULES

IUK provides services to its customers, the Shippers, such that they can transport gas between the Bacton and Zeebrugge locations or store gas within the Interconnector pipeline. The pipeline is connected to National Grid’s National Transmission System (NTS) and the SILK Pipeline at Bacton, and to Fluxys’ Transmission System at Zeebrugge.

Shippers using the Interconnector pipeline must adhere to a set of Business Rules and use the Interconnector Shippers Information System (ISIS) to communicate their flow and/or storage requirements to IUK.

CAPACITY

Each Shipper has rights to capacity within the Interconnector pipeline and capacity rights can be traded between existing Shippers or to new Shippers. Subject to operational conditions and capacity usage, additional interruptible capacity rights may be made available by Interconnector.


MATCHING

To flow gas, Shippers’ requirements must be supplied by both the Interconnector Shipper and their counter-party in the adjacent transportation system. Matching data that is fully or partially matched is used as the basis for creating a Shipper’s Nominations.

NOMINATIONS

A nomination, based on matching data, is the quantity of gas that the Shipper wishes to flow into or out of the Interconnector pipeline, with the ownership of the gas transferring between the Interconnector Shipper and the Shipper in the adjacent transportation system at the entry or exit point.

SCHEDULED QUANTITIES

Under normal operating conditions, Interconnector will flow gas to ensure that all nominations are met. Under certain circumstances, it may not be possible for Interconnector to meet all Shippers' nominations. The scheduled quantity represents the amount of gas Interconnector intends to flow on behalf of a Shipper.


ALLOCATION

The amount of gas flowed through the pipeline is metered and allocated to Shippers based on their scheduled quantities.


VARIABLE INVENTORY & BALANCING

Inventory (or line-pack) is the amount of gas that the Shipper owns in the Interconnector. Shippers may, subject to inventory limits, vary the amount of inventory they hold in the pipeline and trade inventory with other Shippers. IUK balances the pipeline through curtailing a Shipper’s Scheduled Quantities if these would cause the Shipper’s inventory to move outside their inventory limits.

FLOW TRANSITIONS

The Interconnector can flow gas either from Bacton to Zeebrugge or from Zeebrugge to Bacton. A Flow Transition is the process of changing the flow direction of the Interconnector pipeline.


FURTHER INFORMATION

For a more comprehensive description of the Business Rules see:

Outline of Interconnector Business Rules (pdf version)   (63K)

For a description of the contractual arrangements between IUK and Shippers see:

Summary of the Standard Transportation Agreement

For more information on ISIS see:

Interconnector Shippers Information System (ISIS)

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