Welcome

In May 2010, work began on a three year project to establish this website. The intention is to share information held in our museum collection with a wider audience, encourage further research into the history of the industry, and provide a forum for the exchange of knowledge.

The website is still at an early stage of development and only some areas are so far functional. Much of the information presented is incomplete and doubtless contains errors, omissions or is based on false assumptions. We would be delighted to hear from anyone spotting inaccuracies in these pages or able to fill gaps in our knowledge.

We would also greatly welcome offers of volunteer assistance in the continuing development of this site, and associated programmes of research.

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facebook Our Facebook page records the everyday progress of the project, and explores some oddities of shale history.

flickr Our new Flickr page displays some present day images of former shale oil sites.

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The fascinating story of Scotland's shale oil industry

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The Scottish shale oil industry has an interesting and important history.

Bathgate works, established in 1851, was perhaps the first site in the world where mineral oils were processed on an industrial scale. From this blossomed an extensive oil industry that competed successfully against cheaper imported petroleum for many years, and continued in operation until 1962. Such fierce competition bred innovation, progress, and a body of Scots know-how that contributed much towards the development of the oil industry throughout the world.

This website is being developed to celebrate, exchange knowledge, and encourage research into this special heritage. We hope that the resource will be of particular value to those researching family histories.

Genealogy

A searchable database of employment records held in the museum. Other features under development.

Gazetteer

Information on the location of oil works, shale mines, company villages and other sites operated by Scottish oil companies.

Museum Collection

Search the museum collection, or the national collections survey listing all shale oil material held in Scottish museums and archives.

Archive Collection

Company records of BP Oil relating to Scottish shale are being transferred to our museum and will be listed on this site.

Digital Library

Download company booklets. This section will provide digital copies of reference books, papers and oral history transcripts.

Talk to us

Contribute to our Facebook page, add images to our Flickr pages, and share research enquiries on the notice board.

About us

Almond Valley is a family-friendly museum established in 1990 to preserve and interpret the history and environment of West Lothian. It also continues the work of an oil museum research project which, since 1983, had collected objects and archives associated with the shale industry.

Much of the collection is now displayed in The Scottish Shale Oil Museum; one of a range of educational and leisure facilities at Almond Valley, close to Livingston, West Lothian.

For further information on a great day out at Almond Valley visit our main web site.

Latest progress

May 2012

  • Progress continues with the mining section of the gazetteer. Coverage is gradually moving northwards and has recently concentrated on the Deans, Pumpherston and Roman Camps area.
  • Annual shale production figures are being extracted from official papers in the BP archive, which will be linked to mine gazetteer pages.
  • Additional content being added to the Companies section
  • Transcription of Accidents from newspapers and Fatal Accident Inquiries is underway

The Almond Valley Heritage Trust is a charity registered in Scotland No. SC13708, and a Scottish Company limited by guarantee, No. 089429, with Registered Office at Almond Valley Heritage Centre, Millfield, Livingson, West Lothian, EH54 7AR. Accredited Museum No.1151, holding a collection of National significance to Scotland.