News

Where will the next refinery closure be?

Published

10 years ago

January 5, 2015

OIL prices may be tumbling, Russia may be brought to its knees, but for Europe’s refineries little has changed. Margins remain as tight as ever, driven by a systemic overcapacity of petrol production and under-production of diesel. Last month, Murco refinery became the latest European refinery to succumb to market pressures. Murco was the third UK refinery to close in the past five years, following the closure of Petroplus’ Coryton refinery in 2012 and Teesside refinery in 2009.

With these three closures the UK has lost 445,000 barrels per day (bpd), one quarter of its refining capacity. And yet, as far as the whole of Europe is concerned, some say the closures to date haven’t gone far enough. Speaking to Process Engineering for our January 2015 cover feature, Wood Mackenzie downstream principal analyst Jonathan Leitch said that his firm’s modeling showed that “by 2018 we need to decrease crude runs in Europe by 1.6 million barrels per day – that’s twelve Milford Havens”.

While he pointed out that the UK’s top refineries are among the most advanced in the world, he also admitted that the closures needed to bring European production back to equilibrium wouldn’t necessarily come at the weakest refineries. “There are some smaller lossmaking refineries where, if they close down that’s the end of their business, and for that reason they continue to operate,” he said. “At the other end, some of the major oil companies may own several refineries across Europe.

The two or three they choose to close down will not be the worst in Europe.” For these reasons, further UK refinery closures cannot be ruled out. Most at risk would appear to be the country’s two smallest refineries. Total tried and failed to sell its 200,000 bpd Lindsey refinery in Killingholme, North Lincolnshire in 2011, and while it has since committed to investing in the plant and keeping it operational, there are worrying echoes of Milford Haven’s situation – like the Pembrokeshire plant, which had the larger, better connected Valero Pembroke refinery for a neighbour, Lindsey too has a local big brother in the form of the 221,000 bpd Phillips 66 Humber refinery.

Meanwhile, there was speculation in the summer that Indian company Essar was trying to sell its Stanlow refinery in Ellesmere Port. The company dismissed talk of a sale as nothing but rumours, but following the mothballing of a crude distillation unit at the plant in September and subsequent closure of Milford Haven, Stanlow is now the country’s smallest refinery at 195,000 bpd, and must therefore be considered at risk in an industry where it is generally the largest, most complex plants that are most likely to survive. No matter what the oil price does, there seems little respite for refiners in the year to come.

News

Open day at new St Davids housing development

Published

2 hours ago

January 27, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL is celebrating the completion of Phase 1 Llys Glasfryn, St Davids.

The development was built by GRD Homes, and Phase 1 consists of 4 x 2 bed bungalows, and 3 x 1 bed bungalows.

Phase 2 consists of 11 x 2 bed bungalows, which it is hoped will be completed early 2026.

All properties within Phase 1 have been allocated, and Phase 2 properties will be available for bidding a few months before completion.

A Local Lettings Policy is used to allocate these properties, which was created in conjunction with local members, St Davids City Council, and the local community.

To celebrate the completion of Phase 1, Pembrokeshire County Council is holding an open day in one of the newly completed properties.

This will be held on Tuesday 28^th January 2025, from 2pm – 6pm. This is for members of the public to view the site and one of the properties, ask questions, and provide feedback.

Cllr Michelle Bateman, Cabinet Member for Housing Operations, said: “These high quality homes will provide much needed housing in St Davids and form part of our wider development programme.

“Increasing the supply of affordable housing is a key priority for Cabinet and I look forward to meeting new tenants and the wider community at the open day event.”

For more information on Pembrokeshire County Council’s housing developments, or this event, please call 01437 764551, or email [email protected]

News

Agricultural shed fire on Narberth Road in Saundersfoot

Published

3 hours ago

January 27, 2025

Tom Sinclair

CREWS from the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service stations in Tenby and Milford Haven were called to a fire on Narberth Road, Saundersfoot, at 1:05pm on Monday (Jan 27).

The blaze involved a caravan and an agricultural shed measuring approximately 15 metres by 15 metres. The shed, which contained vehicles and machinery, was completely destroyed along with the caravan.

Firefighters used two hose reel jets, two main jets, an otter pump, and a water shuttle system drawing from an open water source to bring the fire under control.

Crews left the scene at 3:20pm.

Crime

Prison bosses dismiss assault rumours against Southport killer

Published

4 hours ago

January 27, 2025

Staff Writer

PRISON authorities have denied claims circulating on social media that Axel Rudakubana, the Southport killer convicted of murdering three young girls, has been attacked while in custody. The rumours, which gained traction after the circulation of a voice note on Sunday (Jan 26), alleged that the 18-year-old was assaulted by two inmates at HMP Manchester, where he is serving his sentence.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Justice firmly dismissed the allegations, stating: “Reports of Axel Rudakubana being attacked in prison are inaccurate. He has not been attacked.”

Rudakubana, originally from Cardiff but residing in the Lancashire village of Banks for the past decade, was sentenced on Thursday to a minimum of 52 years behind bars. His crimes, described as among the most extreme and shocking in recent history, included the murders of Alice da Silva Aguiar, nine, Bebe King, six, and Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, as well as the attempted murder of ten others. The brutal attack took place on July 29 last year at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.

During sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court, Mr Justice Goose outlined the horrifying details of Rudakubana’s calculated and violent actions. “He walked straight into the building, up the stairs to where he could hear the sound of happy children. His intention was clear: to murder as many of them as he physically could.”

Over a harrowing 15 minutes, Rudakubana fatally attacked three children, severely injured eight others, and wounded two adults who attempted to intervene. The judge highlighted the unrelenting nature of his violence: “After the other children escaped, he remained in the upstairs room, where he returned to attack two of the youngest victims, stabbing them multiple times. His actions demonstrated a determined intention to cause maximum suffering.”

Mr Justice Goose condemned Rudakubana’s actions as “the most extreme, shocking and exceptionally serious crime.” The judge noted that the carnage could have been even worse if not for the bravery of those who escaped and intervened.

Rudakubana’s case has left a community in mourning and sparked national outrage. As he begins his decades-long sentence, the Ministry of Justice has assured the public that he is being closely monitored and that claims of an attack on him in prison are baseless.