Justin Fenwick, acting for two pipeline companies, told the court on Thursday, December 11 differences had 'narrowed' between the parties three years after the blast but there were still matters to be resolved.

"This is the third anniversary of the Buncefield incident today and although in this trial we have narrowed the issues between the parties, there are still several matters that need to be resolved," he said.

In his final submissions Mr Fenwick said United Kingdom Oil Pipelines (UKOP) and the West London Pipeline System (WLPS) were due compensation for damage resulting from the disaster.

UKOP is a joint venture between Shell and BP while WLPS, which supplies jet fuel to Gatwick and Heathrow, is a joint venture between Shell, BP, Total and Chevron.

"WLPS and UKOP ran the facilities on behalf of the participants," Mr Fenwick told the court.

The tangled arrangements have muddied the waters in the trial as Shell and BP seek damages for lost business resulting from the disaster.

In complex legal argument the court was told that only if Shell's separate claim of around 157million US dollars for lost business was unsuccessful would WLPS and UKOP take it up.

Details of BP's claim have yet to emerge.

Mr Fenwick said: "It's accepted by Total that WLPS and UKOP are entitled to recovery for the loss of use of both pipelines and the terminal which has occurred and continues."

Andrew Bartlett, acting for Total, told the hearing: "Total's position is that Shell and BP do not have valid claims arising from their inability to use the WLPS and UKOP assets."

Along with the oil companies, residents and businesses are seeking damages totalling around £700million from Total and Hertfordshire Oil Storage Limited, a joint venture between Total and Chevron.

The trial continues.