Pigs, pipelines and PLUTO: A history of the United Kingdom's largest oil pipeline and storage system during World War Two

Abstract

In 1936, the Royal Air Force (RAF) held only very limited stocks of aviation gasoline at a relatively few RAF stations. The only reserves available were 8000 tonnes held by the oil companies. At peak wartime consumption of aviation fuel, this would have only been enough for one day of war! In 1936, the first test flight of the Spitfire took place, but such fighters would need fuel, which would require storage facilities. Unlike during World War One, that storage would need to be protected against aerial bombardment. By the start of World War Two, a massive construction programme of new storage depots with protected storage tanks was well underway, and this programme continued during the war. Additionally, in order to help transport fuel around Great Britain, from 1941, a petroleum pipeline network was constructed eastwards and southwards from the west coast ports. This network included the laying of undersea pipelines across the Channel, code-named PLUTO. This article sets out how the storage and pipeline system was designed, constructed, and controlled during the war. © The Institute of Measurement and Control 2013.