Petroleum refining in the United Kingdom produced around 51.45 million tonnes of petroleum products in 2023, down 16% from 2015 and 32% from 2011. There are four major and one minor petroleum refinery in the downstream sector of the UK oil industry.
Total, operational refining capacity 1,222,800 barrels per day, around 58 million tonnes per year.
In 1902, there were four petroleum refineries in London that held a licence to import oil in barges along the River Thames, including S. Bowley and Son. There was small-scale oil refining along the Lower Thames estuary in 1914. Refining capacity increased during the inter-war period. By 1938 there were 11 oil refineries in the UK.
In 1937/8 total refining oil capacity in the UK was 4.21 million tonnes per year, by 1954 this had increased to 26.64 million tonnes.
In the post-Second World War period several of the existing refineries were expanded and 3 new major oil refineries were built.
In 1964 the following refineries were operating or being constructed or planned.
By 1973 the following refineries were in operation.
In 1973, with an anticipated increase in consumption and the projected start of oil production from the UK North Sea, the following new refineries were being planned or constructed.
Following the oil crisis of 1973-4 refining capacity, and the number of oil refineries, was reduced, and many planned refineries were discontinued. In 1976 there were 17 oil refineries in the UK. By 2000 there were 12 refineries namely:
Further oil company re-organisations and take-overs, and reductions in demand, led to further refinery closures. By 2019 there were 6 major and one smaller oil refineries in the UK.
A timeline of the closure of UK oil refineries is summarised inÃÂ the following table. Adapted from Fuel Oil News.
Statistics for petroleum refining in the UK were formerly gathered by the UK Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), on Chancery Lane in London, and the former Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
The Institute of Petroleum merged with the Institute of Energy to form the Energy Institute in 2003. The modern-day institute is headquartered in Marylebone, London. Also nearby is the World Petroleum Council (WPC), known for its four-yearly World Petroleum Congresses.