National Gas owns the gas National Transmission System (NTS) in Great Britain, which transports highly pressurised gas at high speed to every part of the country. The NTS is the backbone of Britain’s energy system today and will play a key role in the transition to a clean energy future – through repurposing to transport hydrogen or carbon dioxide (for Carbon Capture and Storage – CCS). 

Introducing our high-performance gas transportation network

The National Transmission System consists of nearly 5,000 miles of high-pressure steel pipes and more than 500 above-ground installations. Gas is fed into the NTS from different sources at any of eight gas terminals across Great Britain.  

The NTS is the only gas system with compression 

We have 60 gas turbines (industrial versions of jet engines) at compressor stations across the country, which pressurise and direct gas throughout the network.  

National Gas is the sole owner and operator of this entire system, which is controlled from our National Control Centre (NCC).

Transporting gas throughout Great Britain – and beyond

Our network of pipelines transports gas at high pressure from entry terminals and storage facilities to exit points, where the gas is transferred to: 

• The four Gas Distribution Networks (GDNs) for onward supply to homes and business, or 
• Directly connected customers, such as power stations, large industrial consumers and gas storage sites.  

The NTS also exports gas to the island of Ireland and to continental Europe via connecting pipelines, called interconnectors.