21-07-2025
Prax Lindsey oil refinery to shut as government fails to find buyer
The Prax Lindsey oil refinery is to shut down after the government was unable to find a buyer for the stricken plant, workers have been told.
In an email seen by the Guardian, staff at the refinery were told that the sales process that began after the business collapsed into administration last month 'has not brought forward an offer […] that is both feasible and deliverable'.
'As a result and regrettably, the decision has been made not to order any further crude to be processed at the refinery,' it said.
'The refinery will shortly need to moved into a wind-down phase, while also processing the remainder of the existing crude.'
About 625 staff whose jobs were put at risk by the refinery's failure were told that it was now 'inevitable' that there would be further redundancies.
Some staff have already lost their jobs, while 'special managers' from the consultancy FTI Consulting ran the plant during the search for a buyer.
In the email to staff, the special managers said the process had led to 'various proposals' to buy parts of the Prax Lindsey operation, including storage, distribution and refining assets.
They said talks would continue in the hope of maintaining some operations and jobs at Immingham, the Lincolnshire port where crude deliveries destined for the plant arrive.
The Guardian approached the government and special managers for comment.
More details soon …
