The Milford Haven Refinery is operated by Elf Oil UK Limited on behalf of Elf (70% interest) and Murco petroleum Limited (30% interest.)

The first stage of the Refinery was brought on stream in October 1973 by Amoco (UK) Limited. The first stage was a Hydroskimming refinery designed to process 80,000 b/d of heavy Middle East type crude. In 1975 the Refinery was expanded to a nominal capacity of 108,000 b/d of heavy Middle East crude.

In 1981 Murco joined Amoco to bring on stream a 32,500 b/d fluidised catalytic racking unit and associated facilities.

All assets formerly owned by Amoco (UK) Limited were acquired by Elf Oil UK Limited on 1st August 1990.

A naphtha isomerisation unit was brought on stream in August 1992 to meet the growing demand for unleaded petrol.

A high pressure distillate hydrodesulphurisation unit and associated facilities were brought on stream in September 1996 to meet the requirement for lower sulphur contents in Diesel and Gas Oil.

The Refinery has undergone continuous improvement since the major 1981 upgrading, and is now capable of processing up to 112,000 b/d of light North Sea type crude oils. Other feedstocks can also be processed and the Refinery is now capable of a total processing rate of 118,000 b/d.

The Refinery process units consist of crude distillation, two naphtha reformers, naphtha isomerisation, kerosene hydrodesulphurisation, distillate hydrodesulphurisation, vacuum distillation, fluidised catalytic cracking, alkylation, Dimersol and associated utilities including a sulphur recovery unit designed to meet latest performance standards.

The product range consists of propane, butane, kerosine (Jet,) diesel, gas oil and fuel oil. all crude is delivered by sea across the Refinery's own deep water marine terminal which is capable of handling simultaneously, at its three berths, crude and product tankers of 275,000, 30,000 and 6,000 dwt. The jetty is linked to the Refinery by a series of pipelines, buried for most of their 2.4 kms length, carrying crude oil and ballast water inshore and products and effluent water to the jetty.

Overland transportation is achieved by road, rail and pipeline. The refinery has its own siding, where rail tank cars are loaded, which connects with the other local refineries and uses the Mainline Pipeline Limited's 402km underground pipeline to take products from the refinery to the Midlands and Manchester area.

[Map of UK Refineries]

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