Milford Haven Refinery

Milford Haven Refinery
Milford Haven Refinery in Pembrokeshire
Country UK
City Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire
Coordinates 51°44′06″N 5°03′56″W / 51.73500°N 5.06556°WCoordinates: 51°44′06″N 5°03′56″W / 51.73500°N 5.06556°W
Refinery details
Owner(s) Murco
Commissioned 1973
Decommissioned 2014/2015
Capacity 108,000 bbl/d (17,200 m3/d)
Number of employees 370 (2011)[1]

Milford Haven Refinery was an oil refinery situated on the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales, United Kingdom. It first came on stream in 1973. In November 2014 it was announced that it would close. The refinery was owned by Murco Petroleum Ltd.

History

Milford Haven Refinery is situated on a 1200 acre site near Milford Haven.[2] The refinery came on stream in 1973 under Amoco's ownership.[3] A major upgrade was carried out in 1981, and a catalytic cracker was added.[3] In the same year (1981) Murco (a subsidiary of Murphy Oil) purchased a 30% share of the refinery.[4] Since then further units have been added, notably a naptha isomerisation unit and a hydrodesulphurisation unit.[3] Elf bought Amoco's interest in 1990 and Elf was acquired by Total in 2000.[3] In December 2007 Murco purchased Total's 70% interest in the refinery to become the 100% owner.[4]

In 2010 Murco expressed an intention to sell the refinery.[5] In April 2014 the company warned that it may have to close the site, and began a consultation process with staff.[6][7] In June 2014 it was reported that the refinery had been sold to the Klesch Group, safeguarding 400 jobs at the site.[8] In November the deal fell through and it was announced that the refinery will be converted into a 'storage and distribution facility' with a loss of over 300 jobs. [9] The refinery has entered a 'shut-down' period and will be decommissioned while the company continues to look for a new buyer.

Production

The refinery has an annual processing capacity of 5.5 million tonnes (108,000 barrels per day).[2] The refinery imports all its feedstocks from the nearby marine terminal, to which the refinery is linked by mainly underground pipeline.[3] Refined products are distributed by road, rail, sea and pipeline to the Midlands and Manchester.[3]

See also

References

  1. "Chevron and Valero's deal to buy Pembroke oil refinery". BBC News. 2011-03-11. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Milford Haven Refinery". www.uk.total.com. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Murco Milford Haven Refinery". www.ukpia.com. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Refining and Distribution". www.murco.co.uk. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  5. "'Concern' as Milford Haven refinery put up for sale". BBC News. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 2013-10-25.
  6. "Closure Threat To Murco Oil Refinery As Deal Collapses". BBC News. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  7. "'Frank Discussions' Needed Over Future Of Murco Refinery, Says Shadow Energy Secretary". Milford Mercury. April 2014. Retrieved 2014-04-14.
  8. Murco: Sale 'agreed' for oil refinery in Milford Haven, BBC News. 29 June 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  9. Murco refinery sale collapses: 60 of 400 jobs remain

External links

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