Commonwealth Oil Refineries

Commonwealth Oil Refineries

Company type	Joint venture
Industry	Petroleum
Founded	1920
Founder	Government of Australia, Anglo-Persian Oil Company
Defunct	1952
Fate	Australian government's stake sold to Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (later BP)
Headquarters	Australia
Products	Petroleum products

Commonwealth Oil Refineries (COR) was an Australian petroleum company functioning from 1920 until 1952 as a joint venture between the Government of Australia and the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.

Early history

The company was founded in 1920 following an initiative by Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes. Its board consisted of seven directors, with three representatives appointed by the Government and four by the Anglo-Persian Oil Company. The provisional board members included Sir Robert Garran, M. C. Lockyer, and Robert Gibson for the Commonwealth, while F. H. Bathurst, Professor Payne, Thomas John Greenway, and W. J. Windeyer acted on behalf of the oil firm. During its inaugural year, Greenway held the position of chairman.

In 1922, COR purchased the idle shale oil refinery located at Hamilton, New South Wales, formerly managed by the British Australian Oil Company, and transferred its equipment for installation in a new refinery situated in Victoria.

Australia’s first refinery designed to process imported crude oil was launched by COR in 1924 near Laverton, Victoria, close to Kororoit Creek Road. The facility received its initial crude oil delivery on 12 March 1924 and commenced operations on 17 May 1924. With an annual throughput capacity of 100,000 tons, this refinery operated until its closure on 6 August 1955, having been outpaced by larger refineries established nationwide.

Throughout the 1930s, COR was actively involved in various oil exploration projects.

BP

In 1952, the Menzies administration divested the Australian government's stake in COR to the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, which rebranded as BP in 1954. Former Prime Minister Billy Hughes vehemently opposed this transaction, condemning the decision to surrender control over the government-founded enterprise that had been established more than three decades earlier. Herbert Evatt noted that Hughes' parliamentary address deeply engaged all members present.

BP proceeded to develop the Kwinana Oil Refinery in Western Australia in 1955.

BP/COR

From 1952 until 1959, BP Australia marketed its standard-grade petrol under the COR brand name before ultimately retiring it.