GovWire

Oil fuel depots

The Oil and Pipelines Agency (OPA) is responsible for 6 Naval Oil Fuel Depots in the UK. It works on behalf of the Secretary of State for Defence. It is a statutory public corporation sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Thanckes Oil Fuel Depot

The site comprises, a site office, the main site area that holds 8 in use storage tanks and the jetty area, which allows delivery to and from ships.

The site is adjacent to the A374, Torpoint, Cornwall, PL11 2PG.

Jetty replacement and site upgrade

The old Fuel Jetty, which was over 60 years old, has been replaced with a modern refuelling facility for Royal Navy shipping. In addition, the old sitewide fire system has been fully replaced.

We are in the final stages of designing an upgrade for the site tank farm. This project is currently in the front-end engineering design (FEED) phase; the construction phase is expected to be approved this year and work commenced by late 2025.

Work to be carried out

Demolition of old storage tank assets will be conducted in phases to make way for the new tank farm. New primary, and secondary containment will be installed with modifications to the fire system for a deluge system.

The site will look similar on the skyline to how it is now. Also, the road tanker wagon loading bay, filtrate and returns systems will be upgraded.

Project timescales

Storage tank demolition works to commence in late 2024, and new tank farm works to commence in 2025.

Noise and disruption management

Site noise assessment has been completed and ongoing monitoring will occur, as there will unavoidably be noise created during both demolition and construction between the normal site working hours of 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday.

Appropriate noise mitigation measures will be put in place to limit impact on the local community.

Traffic management

Construction design and management (CDM) traffic management plan will consider local communities, contractors and suppliers, to minimise road congestion where possible particularly during peak times.

Site security

As an operationalCOMAHsite, naval asset, and construction site, we have a legal and moral obligation to ensure safety and security is maintained at all times.

Community Relations team

We have a dedicated project team who are happy to answer any questions you might have. We will also be issuing project updates to our neighbours and any other interested parties.

You can contact the OPA Community Relations team by:

Telephone: 020 7420 1670

Email: info@oilandpipelines.com

Related Information

• OPA oil fuel depots
• Oil fuel depot public information notice