RAF aircraft have begun flying more frequent surveillance flights to prevent possible sabotage against gas pipelines in the North Sea, reported newspaperThe Daily Telegraph with reference to government sources.
It is noted that nine Royal Air Force Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime reconnaissance aircraft and another nine US Navy such aircraft are currently based at Lossiemouth Air Base in north-east Scotland, flying to ensure the protection of gas pipelines laid from Norway to the United Kingdom, from alleged possible threats from the Russian Federation. Through these gas pipelines the UK receives 42% of all gas supplies.
The most significant of these is the 1,100 km long Langeled pipeline, which connects the gas processing plant on the Norwegian peninsula of Nyhamn with the Easington terminal in north-east England. It supplies Britain with 26 billion cubic meters of gas a year - over a third of the UK's total gas consumption.
The publication said that amid fears of sabotage, British government security experts are holding consultations with the heads of energy companies, during which they warn of existing threats. Trade association Offshore Energies UK told the paper it was working to improve the “physical security of offshore and onshore energy infrastructure”.