This is a list of shale oil operations in Australia. Operations include mining of oil shale, extraction of crude shale oil, and refining of oil products. As there is no shale oil production in Australia currently and little development work underway, this list is mainly of historical interest. The list is grouped first by state and then by location, in alphabetical order. If there was more than one operation at a location, the operations there are listed in approximate chronological order.
New South Wales
Oil shale outcrops at places over a wide area of New South Wales, to the east of the watershed of the Great Dividing Range.
Shale oil operations in New South Wales can be divided into these periods:
1865 to 1872 – commencement of a local industry supplying kerosene, candles, and lubricants, for the local market, or oil shale (or oil) for use in town gas enrichment, locally and for export. 1873 to 1906 – the industry was dominated by two companies, Australian Kerosene Oil & Mineral and N.S.W. Shale & Oil, both amalgamations of smaller ones; some smaller ventures continued operating. 1906 to 1922 – large greenfield developments using English capital, at Newnes and Murrurundi, ending in failure, due largely to cheaper imported 'conventional' crude oil and refined petroleum products. Operations during the earlier part of this period included a continuation of the operations at Hartley Vale and Torbane. Local production received some support from the Commonwealth Government, during the First World War (1914—1918) The first locally made petrol or 'motor spirit' was produced from shale oil during this period. 1922 to 1938 – various attempts to re-establish the industry, culminating in the plans, in 1937, for a modern plant at Glen Davis; some small ventures operated sporadically during this period. 1939 to 1945 – a number of small operations started production, mainly to overcome wartime fuel shortages, and the commencement of production at the large plant at Glen Davis. 1945 to 1952 – the final years of the industry, culminating in the closure of Glen Davis and the abandonment of plans for a large operation at Baerami Creek.
The list below shows shale oil operations that have been recorded in New South Wales; it may not be a complete list. +LocationCompany / OwnerOperationsPeriod of operationFateAirly (See also Torbane)Genowlan Shale CompanyMined 'export quality' oil shale from Genowlan Mine, which was shipped to Germany for enriching town gas.1883Australian Kerosene Oil & Mineral Company / Australian Shale SyndicateLeases taken over by Australian Oil Syndicate. Genowlan Mine operated by Australian Kerosene Oil & Mineral Company for payment of a royalty.c.1895–1904Australian Shale SyndicateGenowlan Mine supplied shale to the Commonwealth Oil Corporation retorts at Torbane.1906–1910Australian Shale Syndicate assets acquired by British Australian Oil Company in 1910.British Australian Oil CompanyGenowlan Mine supplied shale to the Commonwealth Oil Corporation retorts at Torbane, until 1913.1910–1915Mining ceased when retorts at Torbane shutdown in 1913, but there may have been some activity up to February 1915.'Bathgate' / Marrangaroo (see also Marrangaroo below)Mackenzie BrothersOil shale mine. ('Bathgate' lay on Dr Mackenzie's property, about a mile from the Main Western railway line at the point where it passed through the original Marrangaroo tunnel.)1870sThe operation at 'Bathgate' was ultimately unsuccessful, although more shale was discovered, about a mile away, in 1888.Baerami Creek / 'Baerami'VariousSmall scale mining.During period 1915–1925Muswellbrook-Baerami Shale Syndicate / JaegerA retort was set up by Mr. Jaeger and the first oil was made from Baerami Creek oil shale.1925–Widden-Baerami Shale Oil and Coal LtdIn 1929, the company tested six tons of shale, assaying 150 gallons to the ton, using an A.B.S. retort set up at St Leonards, in Sydney. 50 tons were shipped to England and another sample to Germany, in 1929, for testing, with the objective of settling upon a retort design to adopt. They were attempting to obtain English backing, in 1930, having achieved 140 gallons per ton in a test. Developmental mining began, in 1931, and there were plans for a township.1929–1934After attempts at a merger and a subsequent dispute with Baerami South Shale and Oil Co. Ltd., that company was granted the Widden Baerami leases in 1934.Shale Oil Development CommitteeMining work to drive tunnels and determine the tonnage of shale available for mining. This was a government organisation which offered support to mining fields not companies, with such a policy leading to an attempted merger between Baerami South and Widden-Baerami Shale and Oil Ltd. (see below).1931Bearami South Shale and Oil Co. LtdThe company was floated in 1930 and set up an experimental A.B.S. retort on its shale leases at Baerami. There were efforts toward a merger with Widden-Baerami Shale and Oil Ltd, but those efforts seems to have ended in dispute. In 1934, it was granted the former leases of Widden-Baerami Shale and Oil Ltd. Its activities ceased when it failed to find sufficient financial backing.1930–1937The leases were effectively abandoned, around 1935, but the company was able to retain control of those leases, in 1937. Also in 1937, the leases were sold to Standard Oil of Australia (see below)Baerami Oil Development Limited / Hosier and WhiteCompany issued a prospectus to raise capital and acquire leases of Bearami South Shale and Oil Co. (in liquidation) and use the retort technology of Australian Imperial Shale Oil Company (refer Wollar and Barigan).1936Nothing appears to have eventuated (perhaps the capital raising failed), because the Baerami South leases were sold in 1937, to Standard Oil of Australia (see below)Colonial Petroleum Oil Limited Miller retort was erected and operated at Baerami Creek.1940–Standard Oil of AustraliaFrom 1937 to 1952, the company attempted to implement its plans for a large shale oil industry based on the Baerami Creek deposit. They used a Renco / NTU retort at Hamilton to successfully carry out trial retorting over three months in 1939. The government moved the retort to Glen Davis where it sat unused. (The same type of retort was used successfully at Marrangaroo.)Operation 1939 Period of involvement 1937–1952Plan for further development of an oil industry at Baerami rejected by government in 1945.(Despite its similar name, Standard Oil of Australia is unrelated to Standard Oil.)Shale Oil Products Co-Op LimitedMining and moving the shale by road to its retorts at nearby Sandy Hollow. This operation only used the richest of the oil shale from the Baerami seams, discarding the rest. (see also Sandy Hollow below)1943–1945The company was in liquidation by June 1945, when its equipment was put up for sale. Production ceased in August 1945. Only viable under wartime conditions.Balls Head Bay / Kerosene BayAustralian Mineral Oil Co.Shale retorts and refinery. The shale came from Stony Creek near 'West Maitland', (probably near modern-day Farley). Later shale seems to have come from Hartley Vale.c.1865—Buildings taken over by an explosive works. It was this industry that gave the waterway its earlier name 'Kerosene Bay'.Barigan (14 miles from
Wollar, near Lue)William WallSecured 'shale land' at Barrigan, including about 400 acres of private and 640 acres of Crown land1906Seems to have not proceeded to mining.Barigan Shale Syndicate / Barigan Shale Company Limited / MolesworthLeases taken up and plans to erect retorts and pipeline to Lue railway station.1921Company deregistered in 1939. (A different entity was later using the same name, 'Barigan Shale Company,' see below.)Australian Imperial Shale Oil CoPlans to exploit deposit using the 'Schultz' process.1930Barigan Shale CompanyMining commenced in 1942 to feed retorts planned to be at Mudgee. The mine was supplying shale to retorts operated by Viggers at Hamilton.1942–1944BerrimaCoal and Oil By-productsShale treatment works, processing shale from a company mine at Joadja. (Also Airly and Burragorang)1941–1942Burragorang ValleyVariousThere was some exploratory drilling and mining of oil shale in this area.1930–1931 1937 1941–1942No longer accessible after the construction of Warragamba Dam.Camelia (previously known as Sandown)Australian Kerosene Oil and Mineral CompanyWorks making soap and candles. The materials used were made at Joadja and came from there by rail, via Mittagong. The works lay on riverfront land between the river and the tram line to the Redbank Wharf. The works had already closed and were for sale in February 1902.1887–Land sold off in 1908.Capertee Crown Ridge MineShale mine west of the Mudgee road, near Blackman's Crown, which exploited a seam of oil shale that was separate from the seam mined at nearby Torbane and Airly. First mined .1891–1909Lease acquired by Australian Shale Syndicate in 1909.Australian Shale Syndicate (Crown Ridge Mine)Shale mine, as above, under different owner. 1909–1910Assets of Australian Shale Syndicate acquired by British Australian Oil Company.British Australian Oil Company (Crown Ridge Mine)Shale mine, as above, under different owner. Its operation was not continuous.1910–1915Mining ceased in February 1915.John Fell and Company (Crown Ridge Mine)1000 tons of 'bottoms' shale that had been stockpiled at Crown Ridge Mine was shipped by rail to Newnes and processed. It had become more valuable, probably due to wartime conditions.1918–1919Viddler & Stocks (Crown Ridge Mine)Development work and trial oil production from a retort erected at the mine in 1922, sporadic production of shale after that until some time in 1925.1922–1925Coal and Oil By-products (Crown Ridge Mine)This company took an option over the mine and small quantities of shale were shipped for treatment at Berrima.1941–1945Clandulla (then called
'Mornington')Mornington Proprietary Oil CompanyCarbonaceous shale mine and lead-bath retorts.1901–1902The quality of the carbonaceous shale was too poor to extract its oil content economically, by any available method. The site was abandoned, and the company was in liquidation by mid 1902.Darling HarbourAustralian Kerosene Oil and Mineral CompanyA depot in Hay Street. Its operations were moved to Camellia .?-1887Farley / 'West Maitland'Russell's Cannel Coal MinesShale mine at Stony Creek near 'West Maitland', (probably near modern-day Farley). The shale was processed by Australian Mineral Oil Co. at Balls Head Bay on Sydney Harbour.c.1865–Glen Alice / 'The Nile'Glen Alice Coal and Shale Mining CompanyShale mine at the foot of Mount Innes, on the northern side of the Capertee Valley. The company was seeking to sell its shale property in February 1898, although it may have still been operating, perhaps as late as 1902.c.1894–Glen Alice Shale Company (Ltd)Company launched in late 1905 to acquire shale leases in the area. Uncertain whether mining operations commenced. The company voted to wind up its operations in December 1906. but was not deregistered until 1938.1905–1906Glen Davis (previously known as North Newnes)National Oil Proprietary LimitedShale oil mine, retorts and oil refinery. (Coal was sourced from a nearby mine owned by others.) A new town was built to house its workers, named Glen Davis, after George Francis Davis. Site of last oil shale production in New South Wales in 1952. Construction from 1938 Operation 1940–1952Government support discontinued and operations were shut downGreenwich / Gore BayJohn Fell & CompanyLubricating oil refinery and blending plant, that processed crude oil, mainly from Newnes, until 1922, after when it processed imported crude oil. 1911–1927Sold to Shell in 1927, and continued as a refinery until at least 1937. HamiltonBritish Australian Oil CompanyOil refinery, processing crude oil made at Murrurundi.Construction from 1910