Top 10 Best Oil and Gas Companies in New Forest

The Oil and Gas Industry on the New Forest Waterside

It may surprise visitors to the tranquil heaths and woodlands of the National Park, but the New Forest district hosts one of the most important energy industry clusters in Britain. The Waterside shore of Southampton Water, stretching from Totton through Marchwood and Hythe to Fawley and Calshot, is home to a major oil refinery, petrochemical plants, fuel storage and distribution terminals, gas network infrastructure and a dense ecosystem of engineering, logistics and service companies that support them.

This cluster provides thousands of skilled jobs, underpins the regional economy and supplies a significant share of the fuel used across southern England. At the same time, the industry is in transition. Investment in lower-carbon fuels, hydrogen, carbon capture and efficiency is reshaping operations, and the workforce skills developed here are increasingly transferable to the renewable and low-carbon sectors. The companies below are the most significant players in this evolving landscape.

The Ten Leading Oil and Gas Companies in the New Forest

1. ExxonMobil Fawley

The Fawley complex is the largest refinery in the UK and one of the most sophisticated in Europe, processing crude oil into fuels and petrochemical feedstocks. ExxonMobil has invested heavily in the site, including projects to produce lower-sulphur diesel and improve efficiency.

2. Esso Petroleum

Esso, the ExxonMobil fuel brand, operates the distribution and marketing of fuels from Fawley through pipelines and terminals across the south of England, supplying forecourts, airports and industrial customers.

3. Shell UK

Shell maintains a significant presence in the region through fuel supply, marine fuels and lubricants, and is investing in electric vehicle charging, hydrogen and biofuels as part of its transition strategy.

4. BP

BP supplies fuels and lubricants across the New Forest and the south coast and is active in low-carbon initiatives including EV charging networks and sustainable aviation fuel development relevant to the regional airports.

5. SGN

Southern Gas Networks owns and operates the gas distribution network serving New Forest homes and businesses. It is also pioneering hydrogen blending and network innovation to prepare for a lower-carbon gas system.

6. Perenco UK

Perenco operates the Wytch Farm oil field in neighbouring Dorset, the largest onshore oil field in western Europe, with pipeline connections to the Fawley refinery. Its operations demonstrate how extraction can proceed within a sensitive landscape.

7. Centrica

Centrica, through its British Gas brand, is a major supplier of gas and electricity to New Forest households and businesses and is investing in energy services, heat pumps and flexible generation.

8. Waterside Engineering Services

A locally based contractor, Waterside Engineering Services provides mechanical, electrical and instrumentation engineering to the refinery and petrochemical plants, employing a skilled workforce drawn from Hythe, Totton and the surrounding area.

9. Solent Fuel Logistics

Solent Fuel Logistics operates fuel distribution and transport services from the Fawley and Hamble terminals, delivering to commercial, agricultural and marine customers across the New Forest and wider region.

10. Fawley Industrial Partners

Fawley Industrial Partners provides maintenance, inspection, scaffolding and shutdown services to the energy cluster and is increasingly involved in decommissioning and low-carbon conversion projects.

The Economic Importance of the Energy Cluster

The Waterside energy industry is a cornerstone of the New Forest economy. It offers well-paid, skilled employment in engineering, process operations, logistics and maintenance, supports apprenticeship programmes with local colleges and sustains a supply chain of small and medium-sized businesses across Totton, Hythe and Marchwood. Its presence also anchors infrastructure, including port facilities, pipelines and grid connections, that will be vital for the energy transition.

For businesses and residents, understanding this cluster matters. It shapes local employment, transport patterns, air quality management and the district's approach to economic development and climate policy.

Trends in Oil and Gas

The industry is decarbonising. Refineries are investing in efficiency, lower-carbon fuels and hydrogen, and the Solent region has been identified as a potential hub for carbon capture and hydrogen production. Gas networks are trialling hydrogen blends and biomethane, while fuel companies are diversifying into EV charging and renewable fuels.

Skills transition is a major theme, with workers experienced in process engineering, pipelines and safety-critical operations increasingly moving into offshore wind, hydrogen and storage. Local education providers are aligning training accordingly.

Working with the Energy Cluster

Local businesses seeking to supply the Waterside energy companies should understand that safety, quality and compliance standards are exceptionally high. Suppliers typically need recognised health and safety accreditations, robust insurance and documented quality management systems. Building relationships with the tier-one contractors who manage maintenance and projects on site is often the most practical route into the supply chain. Local business organisations and the regional chamber of commerce run events that connect small firms with procurement teams, and apprenticeship partnerships with local colleges offer another way to engage with the cluster.

Final Thoughts

The oil and gas industry has shaped the New Forest Waterside for decades and will continue to influence its future as it evolves towards lower-carbon energy. The companies above range from global majors to specialist local contractors, all contributing to energy supply, employment and, increasingly, the transition to a cleaner system. For anyone working in, supplying or living alongside this cluster, they are the names to know.