My Area: West Calder and Midcalder
Addiewell Chemical Works, completed in 1868, was the first major shale oil works and for many years was also the largest. The works, owned by Young's Paraffin Light and Mineral Oil Company, included a refinery and candle works, and were supplied by a number of local mines. Company houses were constructed at Addiewell, Happy Land, and Mossend. As the shale in the Addiewell area became exhausted, mining extended eastward to the Polbeth area. Oil production ceased at Addiewell in 1926, although the site continued to be used into the 1950's.
There were a number of other oil works in the West Calder area. Amongst the largest were the Gavieside Oil Works of the West Calder Oil Company, closed in 1880, Hermand Oil Works of the Hermand Oil Company, closed in 1894, and the Breich Works of the Hermand Oil Company, closed in 1902.
In 1941, the last new crude oil works were built at Westwood to boost wartime oil production. The waste from these works created the Five Sisters bing. The works were the last to remain in production, closing in 1962.
In Midcalder, Oakbank Oil Company operated the Oakbank oil works and refinery, established in 1864. Shale was worked at the Oakbank mine and workers were housed in Oakbank village. The works closed in the 1930's.