Oil platform logistics
Introduction
The oil industry in Spain forms an important sector of the Spanish economy, since it is in charge of both the production of oil and articles derived from it, as well as its marketing. The country does not have its own oil exploitations, so practically all of the crude oil consumed is imported. Currently, a total of ten refineries operate on Spanish soil, with the majority of them located in peninsular territory.
The beginnings of oil activity in Spain can be dated to the 1860s, although it would not be until the 1860s that a significant oil industry began to develop. The State even enacted a monopoly on oil, which came into effect in the 1920s and had the CAMPSA company as one of its main actors. The first Spanish refinery was built in Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1930, while the first refinery on the peninsula would be built in Escombreras in the 1940s. The industrial development that the country experienced during the 1960s and 1970s was accompanied by the construction of numerous refineries and facilities related to this sector. In those years the foundations of the current Spanish oil market were also laid.
In 2020, Spain was the 87th largest oil producer in the world, with almost zero own production.[1] In 2019 the country consumed 1.22 million barrels per day, being the 18th largest consumer in the world.[2][3] Likewise, Spain was the ninth largest oil importer in the world in 2013 (1.22 million barrels per day).[1].
History
From the origins to the Civil War
The beginning of Spanish importation of oil in considerable quantities can be dated to around 1860, destined mainly for consumption by public lighting. Over the following decades, some facilities related to petroleum derivatives were developed, such as distilleries, factories or warehouses. The first of these was built in Pasajes, in 1870, followed years later by new facilities in other parts of the country.[7] However, the truth is that during that period the demand for this type of products in Spain was quite low. On the other hand, the absence of oil fields in Spain meant that from early on the country had serious difficulties in developing an oil industry.[8] It would not be until after the First World War when there was a considerable increase in the use of this fuel. If in 1920 about 162,000 tons of oil were consumed, ten years later this figure had increased to 822,000 tons.[9] Factors such as the expansion of the automobile fleet or the development of those industries that consumed petroleum products influenced this process.