The Esso Refinery at Slagentangen - an industrial adventure for 50 years

June 8th 2011 marks the 50th anniversary since prime minister Einar Gerhardsen opened the first big oil refinery in Norway. The event represented a milestone for the country by making Norway less dependant on imports of oil products such as gasoline, heating oils and fuels for sea and air transportation.

The Esso Refinery processes crude oil, mainly from the North Sea, with a capacity of 6 million tons annually. Annual sales turnover amounts to approximately NOK 25 billion. More than 60 per cent of the production is being exported which makes the refinery the largest export enterprise in Vestfold.

The refinery investments over the last few years have included several environmental projects. In 2009 and 2010 only, 170 million kroner were spent on environmental initiatives. These projects have contributed to reducing emissions to the external environment; to noice reduction at the processing unit; and to reduce the sulphur contents in finished products in line with legislative requirements.

Energy efficient
In 2007 the refinery started a unit to blend biodiesel, and currently work is underway to complete a unit to blend bio-ethanol into gasoline. The Slagen refinery is among the most efficient refineries in the world when it comes to energy consumption and minimizing emissions. Over the last 20 years the energy efficiency has been improved by 25 per cent.

Esso has approximately 300 employees at Slagentangen, where the company is also the employer for a number of local businesses and public services. In addition to the refinery operation the department for Supply, Transportation and Distribution is located here.

The department is coordinating all ExxonMobil's trading with crude oil and petroleum products in Norway as well as the operation of the company's three major terminals in Fredrikstad, Bergen and Trondheim.

Information and tour
The anniversary day will be celebrated with an information meeting and a guided tour of the refinery for invited guests. At Esso-stations in the Tønsberg area there will be attractive anniversary offers.

- This offers an excellent opportunity to thank all employees and our partners who have contributed to the development of the Esso refinery through fifty years, enabling us to celebrate with proudness, says Tore Revå, Refinery Manager at Slagentangen.