Not a 1er but need help!

[x5mad]

Help!

I have an E46 with N42 engine.

Problem is I believe there is a major leak with the 2 gaskets in the oil filter housing. I have managed to replace one but the other one I have made an absolute mess of. And of course its this one which is leaking oil bad (puddles of oil under the manifold side, dripping into alternator which is now dead). Been filling up with oil about 1litre per week!

To the problem:
there are 4 screws holding the oil filter housing to the heat exchanger. One of the screws is blocked by a coolant pipe. long story short I have made a mess of the screw head due to limited access.

Now, if I could remove the damn pipe then access would be much easier (the pipe cannot be bent). Pictures attached. Messed up screw circled in red. Also the pipe I could not remove also circled. The one below was simple - unclip metal retaining hook and slide pipe out. From what I can see they are both the same but I cannot remove the pipe circled in red. I tried pulling, bashing, twisting (hook released of course) but it will not budge.

Ideas anyone????