This plant began operations in 1924 and until the 1935/45 War handled about 400,000 tonnes of oil annually. In 1949 work began on its re-modelling and by stages its capacity was expanded to 4,500,000 tonnes. Among the major downstream units installed at this time was the catalytic cracker. A massive expansion programme was completed in the early 70s which brought the refining capacity up to 8,600,000 tonnes per year. The Project increased the yield of the more valuable light distillate products (LDF and motor gasoline) by the installation of a catalytic reformer and a hydrocracker, the first to be built in the UK. The motor gasoline yield was further increased in 1981 by the commissioning of an alkylation unit. A 35,000 bpd hydrofiner producing low sulphur diesel became operational in 1996.

The Forties Pipeline System terminates at the refinery, where the crude oil stabilisation plant is situated. Some crude oil is refined in Grangemouth and the remainder flows via another pipeline to a storage tank area, and onwards to tanker loading terminals in the River Forth downstream of the Forth Bridges.

Other crude oil for the refinery is landed at Finnart Ocean terminal on Loch Long, which can receive tankers up to the 324,000 dwt class. The oil is then pumped to the refinery through a 58-mile pipeline system across Scotland.

The refinery provides feedstock to an important group of chemical factories on an adjoining site, owned and operated by BP Chemicals Limited and its associates.

[Map of UK Refineries]

© Institute of Petroleum