Chemical Industry

Working on top of the ovens at Monckton coke works.

BP's Kimmeridge oilwell on the Dorset coastline is the oldest continually producing wellsite in the United Kingdom. It was drilled in 1959 and now produces 80 barrels (12,720) litres of crude oil per day. The oil is stored in the tanks to the left of the image and collected twice a week by road tanker. It is taken to the Gathering Station at Wytch Farm near Corfe Castle and thence by pipeline to the terminal near Southampton. The oilfield here is now operated by the French company Perenco.

Coke being pushed from an oven into the coke car at Monckton coke works at Royston. All gone now.

The New Cheshire Salt Works Ltd at Wincham, north east of Northwich in Cheshire, UK. Run by the Stubbs family, it operated between around 1923 and 2006 when it was purchased and closed down by British Salt. It produced white or brine salt from naturally occurring underground brine using natural or wild pumping. The salt was extracted by vacuum evaporation and was of a high quality. It was used for human consumption under the brandname "Selva" and in the pharmaceutical industry; New Cheshire was the only British company to supply salt for pharmaceutical use.

The bicarbonate of soda wharf at Brunner Mond's Winnington Works. Sadly ships no longer call here.

Detail of the door opening machine at the Monckton cokeworks.

Gas risers on top of the coke ovens at the Monckton coke works not long before closure.

The Ineos operated Grangemouth refinery is the largest industrial plant by volume in Scotland and supplies much of the oil based fuels used in Scotland and the North of England.

Wharfage on the River Weaver at Winnington where the boats once loaded with bicarbonate of soda. This photo was taken in 2008 when the chemical plant was still producing soda ash but the ships no longer called.

A view from Paull towards the storage tanks of the Saltend Chemical Park . BP Chemicals Ltd established Saltend Chemicals Park in 2009. Today a range of organisations operate on the 370 acre site, sharing an established infrastructure and extensive provision of services, feedstocks and utilities

The former Crosfield's site at at Warrington is now operated by PQ Corporation after the Ineos Silicas business was merged with it. The site produces a range of inorganic chemicals.

The Ineos operated Grangemouth refinery is the largest industrial plant by volume in Scotland and supplies much of the oil based fuels used in Scotland and the North of England.

The site of the former tramsheds and power station at Glossop has for many years been a chemical works. Today it is operated by Plater Production providing specialist drying services to the chemical industry. They manufacture a wide range of products including de-icers, acetates, formates, propionates, lactates and chrome chemicals.

Night at the Brunner Mond chemical works at Lostock near Northwich.

Evening light on the Brunner Mond, Lostock Works at Northwich.

S.A. Cokeries et Houillères d'Anderlues first erected coke ovens in 1904 which were replaced by new ones in 1931. The works produced foundry coke and was one of the smallest and oldest coke by-product plants still operating in Belgium at the time of closure in November 2002.

Coasters used to load soda ash here. Now it is all gone and housing rises in its place.

Conveyors leading the storage bins for raw materials to feed the limekilns at Winnington soda ash plant in 2008.