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LONDON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - BP Plc, the operator ofthe North Sea Forties oil pipeline, has advised buyers that thecrude is currently expected to keep flowing during a plannedstrike at the Grangemouth oil refinery, an industry source saidon Tuesday.
The Grangemouth plant provides steam and power to BP'sKinneil oil stabilisation and gas separation plant, whereForties, the North Sea oil grade that helps set global oilprices, comes ashore.
Workers at the Scottish refinery have called a 48-hourstrike due to begin on Sunday.
"The steam is the critical piece," the source said. "We'rehearing that there's an intent to keep the utilities necessaryto keep the Forties pipeline running, and that's the message BPhas given to shippers. But that is still to be confirmed."
Forties is the largest of the four North Sea crude oils thatunderpin the Brent oil benchmark, used to price about two thirdsof the world's oil. Supply of Forties is scheduled to average387,000 barrels per day in October.
The source said should the supply of steam be shut off, theForties pipeline could keep running but at a reduced rate.
"Without the steam it would potentially limit the pipelineto about 100,000 barrels of oil per day."
If sustained, a drop in output to 100,000 bpd would delayForties crude shipments.
