Latest news with #IainHardie
Reuters
29-04-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Crude processing ends at Scotland's Grangemouth oil refinery
LONDON, April 29 (Reuters) - Scotland's only oil refinery ceased crude oil processing as of Tuesday, operator Petroineos said in a statement, as the site transitions to an import terminal. UK-Chinese joint venture Petroineos confirmed in September that the Grangemouth refinery would stop production in the second quarter of 2025. The Reuters Power Up newsletter provides everything you need to know about the global energy industry. Sign up here. "From today, we will be importing all the products necessary to meet Scotland's demand for transport fuels," said Iain Hardie, region head of legal and external affairs at Petroineos, adding that the firm had invested 50 million pounds in the transition to an import terminal. The closure comes against a backdrop of falling refining capacity in Europe as firms look to close or convert oil refining assets. Shell (SHEL.L), opens new tab is also shutting down its German Wesseling refinery this year.
The Independent
29-04-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Oil refining comes to an end in Scotland as Grangemouth halts processing work
The Grangemouth refinery has now ceased processing crude oil, its owner Petroineos has confirmed. The industrial site in central Scotland was the last oil refinery operating north of the border. In September last year, the company said the refining activities would cease in 2025 as it transitions to become an import terminal for finished fuels. The impending closure of the refinery, which first opened in 1924, led to fears for employment in the area. In recent months, hundreds of workers have taken voluntary redundancy while a number of compulsory redundancies have also been made. A significant report commissioned by the Scottish and UK governments, known as Project Willow, aimed to chart a future for the site in low-carbon energy. But the report said this would require around £3.5 billion of private investment. Petroineos has said the refinery is loss-making and has rejected claims from unions that the site could easily transition into a hub for producing sustainable aviation fuel. Iain Hardie, regional head of legal and external affairs, said: 'Grangemouth refinery is no longer processing crude oil. 'Petroineos has invested £50 million in creating a modern import and distribution terminal capable of receiving finished fuels by sea for onward distribution to customers around the country. 'From today, we will be importing all the products necessary to meet Scotland's demand for transport fuels.' He continued: 'We would like to pay tribute to the workforce here. 'Our colleagues have shown incredible commitment, dignity and resilience during months of uncertainty regarding the future of this facility, through the consultation period, phased shutdown and the start of refinery decommissioning. 'It has been a challenging period but their professionalism has ensured security of fuel supply to our customers across Scotland and beyond.' Other parts of the wider Grangemouth complex, including the Forties pipeline system which links to the North Sea, will not be affected by the site's closure.
Daily Record
29-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Grangemouth oil refinery officially closes after 100 years in operation on the Forth
Scotland's last remaining oil refinery has officially ceased production today after more than 100 years in operation. Petroineos, owners of the plant in Grangemouth, announced all refining activity on the Forth had come to and. More than 400 workers have been paid-off in recent weeks as a result. The refinery was the oldest still in operation in the UK and was deemed to be too costly to upgrade - an assessment repeatedly disputed by the Unite trade union. The future of the wider Grangemouth site - which includes the still operational petrochemical plant - has become a contentious subject of debate between the Scottish and UK Governments. Petroineos will now convert the refinery site into a fuels import depot which requires far fewer jobs to operate. But unions are pushing for more investment to secure new technologies and employment in the longer term. Iain Hardie of Petroineos said in a statement: "Grangemouth refinery is no longer processing crude oil. "Petroineos has invested £50 million in creating a modern import and distribution terminal capable of receiving finished fuels by sea for onward distribution to customers around the country. 'From today, we will be importing all the products necessary to meet Scotland's demand for transport fuels.' He continued: 'We would like to pay tribute to the workforce here. Our colleagues have shown incredible commitment, dignity and resilience during months of uncertainty regarding the future of this facility, through the consultation period, phased shutdown and the start of refinery decommissioning. 'It has been a challenging period but their professionalism has ensured security of fuel supply to our customers across Scotland and beyond.' Ewan Gibbs, a Glasgow University historian of Scottish industry, said: "Oil has been refined at Grangemouth for a century. "The end of refining in Scotland is a moment of industrial history which ought to be marked by the workforce and community. "Sadly, the manner of closure by a distant multinational is only confirmed by this conclusion." To sign up to the Daily Record Politics newsletter, click here
STV News
29-04-2025
- Business
- STV News
All oil refining in Scotland ends as Grangemouth operations cease
All oil refining in Scotland has ceased on Tuesday as operations at Grangemouth end. Petroineos, which runs the refinery, notified staff by email that all oil refining work had ended. This means that all fuel needed in Scotland must be imported. Scotland's only oil refinery announced it would close this summer in September last year. The processing plant is to be transformed into an import terminal. Iain Hardie, Petroineos regional head of legal and external affairs, said: 'Grangemouth refinery is no longer processing crude oil. 'Petroineos has invested £50m in creating a modern import and distribution terminal capable of receiving finished fuels by sea for onward distribution to customers around the country. From today, we will be importing all the products necessary to meet Scotland's demand for transport fuels. 'We would like to pay tribute to the workforce here. Our colleagues have shown incredible commitment, dignity and resilience during months of uncertainty regarding the future of this facility, through the consultation period, phased shutdown and the start of refinery decommissioning. 'It has been a challenging period but their professionalism has ensured security of fuel supply to our customers across Scotland and beyond.' Both the UK and Scottish governments had launched a plan to protect hundreds of jobs at the site. The multi-million-pound Project Willow study determined it needed £3.5bn worth of private investment The landmark report published last month looked at 300 potential projects that could ensure the future of Scotland's largest industrial site, identifying nine that were 'credible'. The UK Government is offering £200m and the Scottish Government is backing it with £25m. However, the plans would only create about 1,100 jobs – around half the number of posts at risk from the closure of the refinery. Initial interest in the rescue plan has been 'above expectations', deputy first minister Kate Forbes said earlier this month. 'Both Scottish Enterprise and site owners Petroineos have confirmed that they've received numerous expressions of interest from numerous parties,' Forbes said. Project Willow comes months after the refinery, operated by Petroineos, announced its closure and plans to convert into a fuel import and export terminal. Petroineos claimed the changes were due to a continuing decline in profitability and the need for substantial new investment to keep the refinery running. In response, the UK and Scottish Governments have been working with Petroineos and its shareholders to ensure a long-term future for the site. The Project Willow feasibility report provides nine 'credible' proposals likely to attract private investment, including plastics recycling, hydrogen production and other projects that could create up to 1,090 jobs by 2040. The UK and Scottish governments say efforts will now focus on identifying partners and investors who, in collaboration, can bring these projects to life. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Independent
20-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
No increased risk to child of Covid-19 infection or vaccination in pregnancy
Contracting Covid-19 or being vaccinated against it during pregnancy does not increase the risk of child developmental health issues, research indicates. A study of the majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic – 25,000 babies – found no link between concerns with a child's development at 13 to 15 months and the mother contracting the virus during pregnancy. Receiving the vaccine while pregnant also had no connection with issues in the infants in developing skills such as speech, thinking, movement and language, the Edinburgh University study found. These important findings can help inform clinical guidance, and reassure pregnant individuals of the safety of Covid-19 vaccines Researcher Iain Hardie Researcher Iain Hardie said: 'Our study suggests that neither SARS-CoV-2 infection, nor Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy impact foetal brain development and subsequent child development up to age 13-15 months. 'These important findings can help inform clinical guidance, and reassure pregnant individuals of the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.' The team linked data from a previous Covid-19 in Pregnancy in Scotland study on virus infections and Covid-19 vaccinations while pregnant to developmental concerns raised at routine health reviews. The reviews recorded concerns with a child's development aged 13-15 months raised by the parents, caregivers or health visitors. Researchers found no evidence of a link between developmental concerns at that age and their mothers having either contracted Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it during pregnancy, regardless of the trimester the infection or vaccination occurred. The study assessed the majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic – those conceived after May 18 2020 and born before September 30 2021 – and their mothers. The research, in partnership with Public Health Scotland, was conducted as part of the wider Covid-19 Health Impact on long-term Child Development in Scotland (Childs) study. Principal researcher and originator of the Childs study, Bonnie Auyeung, said: 'We are delighted that our work has been recognised by the Lancet as a valuable contribution to the global body of evidence about the impact of Covid-19. 'What is particularly novel about this study is its scale. This is because our partnership with Public Health Scotland enabled us to include the vast majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic. 'To our knowledge this is the first study of its kind, internationally. It illustrates the enormous value of an integrated health service which is ready to partner with researchers like ourselves to further globally significant research.' The team plans to examine the same group of children at 27-30 months and four-to-five years as some development concerns do not emerge until after 15 months. The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, is published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.
