Refineries in plains and valleys. Debating the environmental problems of oil infrastructure in Switzerland (1958-1966)

As oil consumption surged in Western Europe after 1945, its environmental and sanitary consequences became visible to consumers for whom they had remained largely hidden until then. Indeed, refineries had long been located in the producing countries or, in Europe, near the sea. This changed with the creation of new infrastructure that both reacted to and helped sustain the rising demand. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, major pipelines were built across Europe, making it economically sound to plan the construction of refineries inland. However, little is known about the public reactions to these new refineries. This presentation will shed light on this topic by focusing on one country. Unlike France, Italy or Germany, Switzerland saw the building of its first refineries as a result of these late 1950s developments,. Over a few years, six different locations were discussed. All were controversial, and in all cases concerns over pollution featured prominently in the debates. Critics often referred to local wind patterns or criticised the idea of refining oil in “steep valleys”. Drawing on archives from local and national authorities, as well as various other sources, the presentation will discuss the differences between the projects, such as the players involved, the topography and local environments and the communication strategies of proponents and opponents. By doing so, the study will disentangle the various factors that led to the building of two refineries and the cancellation of the other plans, thus highlighting one aspect of the contingency of the process that made oil a major source of energy.