Milford Haven Refinery
Milford Haven Refinery in 2006
Milford Haven Refinery is located in Pembrokeshire
Milford Haven Refinery
Milford Haven Refinery in Pembrokeshire
CountryUK
CityMilford Haven, Pembrokeshire
Coordinates51°44′06″N 5°03′56″W / 51.73500°N 5.06556°W / 51.73500; -5.06556
Refinery details
Owner(s)Murco
Commissioned1973 (1973)
Decommissioned2014
Capacity108,000 bbl/d (17,200 m3/d)
No. of employees370 (2011)[1]

Milford Haven Refinery was an oil refinery situated on the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales, United Kingdom. The refinery began operating in 1973 under Amoco's ownership, but in its final years it was owned by Murco Petroleum. The closure of the refinery was announced in November 2014. The site was sold to Puma Energy in 2015 for use as a petroleum storage and distribution terminal.

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] Since then further units have been added, notably a naptha isomerisation unit and a hydrodesulphurisation unit.[3]

In August 1983, a major boilover fire required 150 firemen, 50 fire engines and two days to extinguish.[4][5]

Ownership

The refinery was originally owned and operated by Amoco. In 1981 Murco (a subsidiary of Murphy Oil) purchased a 30% share of the refinery.[6] 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.[6] In 2010 Murco expressed a desire to sell the refinery.[7] In April 2014 the company warned that it may have to close the site, and began a consultation process with staff.[8][9] In June 2014 it was reported that the refinery had been sold to the Klesch Group, safeguarding 400 jobs at the site.[10] 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. [11] The refinery entered a 'shut-down' period and was decommissioned while the company looked for a new buyer.

In March 2015 the site was acquired by Puma Energy, along with three English inland terminals at Westerleigh, Theale and Bedworth.[12] Puma Energy said it would convert the site into a petroleum storage and distribution terminal.[12]

At 0900 BST Sunday 21 July 2019 the two large stacks were demolished via controlled explosion.

Production

At its close the refinery had an annual processing capacity of 5.5 million tonnes (108,000 barrels per day).[2] The refinery imported all its feedstocks from the nearby marine terminal, to which the refinery was linked by mainly underground pipeline.[3] Refined products were distributed by road, rail, sea and pipeline to the Midlands and Manchester.[3] The refining units and capacity were:[13]

Refining unit Capacity barrels/day
Atmospheric Distillation 108,000
Vacuum distillation 55,000
Fluidised Catalytic cracking 37,000
Naphtha hydrotreating 18,300
Catalytic reforming 18,300
Distillate hydrotreating 74,000
Isomerization 11,300
Alkylation 6,300

1983 fire

In August, 1983, an accidental fire occurred at the facility's number 11 crude storage tank. Filled with more than 46,000 tonnes of oil, the flaming storage tank experienced multiple boilover, spreading the fire nearly four acres. In all, 150 firefighters and 70 fire appliances were needed to tackle the blaze. While six firefighters were injured during the two day fire, no one was killed. [14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Chevron and Valero's deal to buy Pembroke oil refinery". BBC News. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Milford Haven Refinery". www.uk.total.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Murco Milford Haven Refinery". www.ukpia.com. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  4. ↑ Amoco Refinery Fire 1983 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine www.fireservice.co.uk, accessed 07.04.16
  5. ↑ Boilover of a crude oil tank ARIA Article 6077, French Ministry of Environment, accessed 07.04.16
  6. 1 2 "Refining and Distribution". www.murco.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  7. ↑ "'Concern' as Milford Haven refinery put up for sale". BBC News. 23 July 2010. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  8. ↑ "Closure Threat To Murco Oil Refinery As Deal Collapses". BBC News. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  9. ↑ "'Frank Discussions' Needed Over Future Of Murco Refinery, Says Shadow Energy Secretary". Milford Mercury. April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.
  10. ↑ Murco: Sale 'agreed' for oil refinery in Milford Haven, BBC News. 29 June 2014. Retrieved 2014-06-29.
  11. ↑ Murco refinery sale collapses: 60 of 400 jobs remain
  12. 1 2 "Puma Energy buys Murco Milford Haven oil refinery site". BBC News. 13 March 2015.
  13. ↑ "Milford Haven refinery". Retrieved 6 November 2022.
  14. ↑ "Milford Haven".
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