A Growing Industry

Throughout the 1950's and 60's the UK oil Industry was growing at an incredible rate and this led many oil companies to expand production.

The Milford Haven Waterway was a popular location because it could accommodate even the largest supertankers. The decline of important industries such as fishing, coal and railway transportation meant that there was a large supply of workers.

With Esso Refinery at Herbranston and BP's oil terminal at Popton Fort, many of the UK's oil companies considered the Milford Haven waterway to be the most viable location for expansion.

On 25th February 1963 work began on constructing the second oil refinery in the County. The site was located on the south shore of the Milford Haven watery, near to the small village of Rhoscrowther, three miles west of Pembroke. This was a massive project, with the total cost of construction amounting to £30 million, which today would be equivalent to around £500 million!

The construction of this refinery by Regent (now Chevron) was greeted with great optimism and it was seen by Desmond Donnelly, the then MP for the County, as the rebirth of Pembrokeshire. The refinery, which was the largest of the counties refineries, was officially opened in September 1964 by the Queen Mother.

In 1966, the Gulf Oil Company purchased land at Waterston, two miles east of Milford Haven, and work began on building a refinery. This was the first refinery that Gulf built in the UK and they chose the site near Milford Haven for the same reasons as the others, a large natural waterway and the backing of the local authority.

On 17th May 1968, the first tanker brought crude oil to the refinery and production began. The refinery was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 10th August of the same year.

The fourth and final refinery to be built in the county was located at Robeston, just inland from the Esso refinery. Work began on constructing the Amoco Refinery in February 1971 after the land was purchased and the permission had been granted.

In September 1973 the Amoco refinery was completed and production began. It was officially opened on 7th June 1974 by John Morris, the then Secretary of State for Wales.

At their peak, the oil refineries in Pembrokeshire were capable of refining around 600,000 barrels of crude per day. If all of that was used to produce petrol, it would be enough to drive a car 7 million times around the world!

The current output from the refineries provides just under 30% of the UK’s refined oil products, in addition a significant volume is exported to Europe and North America.