Have you ever wondered how the fuels that power our vehicles get here? The Rhein-Main-Rohrleitung Nord is a crucial piece of infrastructure that few people know about. This pipeline quietly transports millions of cubic meters of mineral oil products each year. It ensures the supply of fuel to Frankfurt am Main and Ludwigshafen am Rhein.
The Rhein-Main-Rohrleitung Nord is part of a larger system. The Rhein-Main-Rohrleitungstransportgesellschaft or RMR operates it. The RMR was founded in 1965 by Deutsche Shell AG. The goal was to create a secure transport route. It would supply the growing demand for mineral oil products.
In 1967, Deutsche BP AG joined the RMR. The pipeline expanded north to the Ruhr refinery in Hünxe. In 1968, it extended to Rotterdam. A 50 km connection was built from Dinslaken. This connected to the Rotterdam-Rijn Pijpleiding.
The Rhein-Main-Rohrleitung Nord stretches 525 km. It runs from Venlo, near the German-Dutch border to Frankfurt and Ludwigshafen. At a pump station in Udenheim, the pipeline splits. Around 15 million cubic meters of mineral oil flow through it annually. That’s a lot of fuel.
Along the pipeline, there are nine pump stations. They maintain the pressure. There are also six branch stations. Thirteen feed and exit stations connect to refineries and chemical plants. Thirty-seven line valves ensure safety.
The pump stations have a total installed capacity of 32000 kW. They are located in various cities. These include Herongen, Dinslaken and Ratingen. They also include Geyen, Cologne-Godorf and Wesseling. Other locations are Ramersbach, Schwall and Udenheim.
Tank farms are connected to the pipeline in several cities. These include Homberg, Dinslaken and Cologne-Niehl. Gustavsburg, Flörsheim, Raunheim and Ludwigshafen are also connected. Petrochemical plants and refineries also rely on the pipeline. These are in Bottrop and Dormagen. Refineries in Cologne-Godorf and Wesseling benefit. Oppau is also connected.
In 2006, the pipeline’s control system was modernized. This improved safety and efficiency. However, accidents can happen. In 1991, a subsidence caused a pipeline failure near Dinslaken-Nord. About 280 cubic meters of gasoline leaked. It contaminated the soil and a nearby stream. Cleanup required removing 5000 cubic meters of soil.
The Rhein-Main-Rohrleitung Nord is vital for the region’s economy. It transports fuels and raw materials. Next time you fill up your car, remember the RMR. It operates largely unseen beneath our feet. It ensures we have the resources we need.