It was later adapted to refine crude oil with a processing capacity of two million tonnes per year and was in operation from 1948 to 1976.
It worked in conjunction with a chemical plant which produced ammonium nitrate fertilizer and other products, using feedstocks from the refinery.
Heysham Aviation Fuel Works was established north of the village of Middleton by the Air Ministry in Spring 1939 in anticipation of the forthcoming war.
The works were designed to produce high octane aviation fuel for the Royal Air Force (RAF).
At the same time Trimpell Limited planned the construction of two further fuel plants in Trinidad to provide a diversity of supply and reduce the risk of loss of production by air raids, but these were not built.
Initially, the limited quantities of the 100-octane fuel in the national stockpile required rationing until supplies increased to meet the demand.
[4] From March 1940 the RAF converted the Spitfire’s Rolls-Royce Merlin engines to use the 100-octane fuel to improve the aircraft's flying capabilities.
[6] In August 1941 Trimpell[2] decided to run the plant at Heysham to produce two-thirds aviation spirit and one-third ammonia production.
To prevent solidification in cold weather a second line allowed fuel oil to be circulated back to the heated storage tanks.
In 2010 Field Fisher Waterhouse sought information from anyone who had worked at the Heysham Refinery from 1945 to 1960 in relation to a claim about asbestos exposure.
[17] Chemical plants were built during the war to produce nitric acid, ammonia and ammonium nitrate fertiliser.
Investigations revealed that abrasive grinding paste had been introduced into the compressors’ lubricating oil system which damaged the bearings.
[7] Twenty-six members of the Amalgamated Engineering Union went on strike at the fertilizer plant in 1959 over working conditions and pay.
In 1984 a new solvent recovery plant was commissioned to provide facilities for the processing of heavily contaminated materials previously rejected as irrecoverable.
[23] In 1996 clouds of solvent fumes from the Solrec chemical works drifted across Heysham golf club causing golfers to abandon their games.