Britain lost two oil refineries last year – Grangemouth closed in April 2025 and Lindsey followed in August, leaving just four operating sites: Fawley, Humber, Pembroke and Stanlow. In 2025, we imported 15.5 million tonnes more petroleum products than we exported, the largest deficit since Britain became a net importer in 2013.
…since 2009, approximately 30 refineries have shut down continent-wide, leading to a 37% contraction in refining capacity over the past decade. Industry forecasts now indicate that 60% of Europe’s total refining capacity is at high risk…
“… we are currently paying £70 million to £80 million a year in CO2 costs. That will go up to £150 million in the next four or five years, and our competitors are not paying any. That is the cost delta that we are suffering versus our competition, and that is what is causing refineries to shutter in the UK. We have lost two recently. You are therefore effectively driving even more imports to come in, and they can compete against us because they are not paying the CO2 costs,”– Paul Greenwood Managing Director, ExxonMobil UK
New report into the refineries sector concludes we need to abolish the UK ETS - Watt-Logic
(ETS is Emissions Trading Scheme - a tax on emitting CO2)
