Flotta Oil Terminal
Oil Pipeline Terminal (Modern)
Site Name Flotta Oil Terminal
Classification Oil Pipeline Terminal (Modern)
Alternative Name(s) Scapa Flow; Occidental Petroleum
Canmore ID 133641
Site Number ND39NE 8
NGR ND 3550 9500
NGR Description Centred ND 3550 9500
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/133641
- Council Orkney Islands
- Parish Walls And Flotta
- Former Region Orkney Islands Area
- Former District Orkney
- Former County Orkney
ND39NE 8 centred 3550 9500
Survey of Flotta Oil Terminal carried out 2025.
Field Visit (10 June 2021 - 31 August 2021)
ND 3550 9500 Flotta Oil Terminal (Canmore ID: 133641) Flotta Oil Terminal (Site 7) was explored with a walk around the perimeter. The terminal location was chosen following the discovery of oil in the Piper and Claymore oil fields in the North Sea. Approval for the terminal was granted in 1974 and the first oil flowed in December 1976. A large area of the farming landscape was levelled for the terminal including the purchase and demolition of 11 farms, also listed in Canmore (eg Wharnclett Canmore ID 303017, Sutherland 182504, Netherhowe 303015, Curries 303024 etc.). Discussions with residents during the event who had worked at the terminal indicated that much of the vast terminal complex was either decommissioned (eg liquefied propane gas storage tanks, liquefied ethane processing and storage, processing areas on the E side and outer sea mooring points) or unused (eg only two of the oil storage tanks are currently in use). Further work on the history of the site would be beneficial. A large stone quarry (late 20th century) at Stanger Head (ND 37611 92548) was used to extract stone for the oil terminal. The quarry is not depicted on historical maps and appears to have been opened specifically for the terminal construction.
Additional site details will be available in the project report.
The project is a collaboration between ORCA, University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) Archaeology Institute and the Department of Social Anthropology, University of St Andrews.
Archive: NRHE (intended)
Funder: National Lottery Heritage Fund, EMEC
Daniel Lee and Richard Irvine – ORCA, UHI Archaeological Institute and University of St Andrews
(Source: DES Vol 22)
Photographic Survey (3 March 2025)
Photographic and UAV survey in advance of changes to the site.
