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REFINERY SALE A STEP CLOSER

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  • gb capitalLondon based investment firm tipped to purchase Murco plant
  • Greybull Capital tipped to buy the struggling refinery
  • Plant and retail petrol stations would continue operating

MURPHY OIL is in advanced talks to sell its Milford Haven refinery to a low-profile private equity fund that will continue operating the struggling plant, sources familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

The American oil giant has been trying to sell the 135,000 barrels-per-day plant and its Murco petrol stations for around four years. But buyers who were willing to keep it running have proved elusive as European refineries fight for survival due to failing demand.

A deal is now moving closer with London-based Greybull Capital after it had agreed to fund a major planned maintenance at the plant within the next 18 months, sources said.

“There is a form of agreement pending finance,” said a source close to the negotiations.The maintenance turnaround at Milford Haven was expected to cost less than $75 million, the source said. The full cost of the deal was unclear.

The source said that a commitment to fund the turnaround was vital to prevent any buyer from running the plant for a short time before closing it down to sell assets, or demand a government bailout. Greybull has in the past focused on financing deals to buy struggling British high street chains such as the ultimately doomed electrical goods outlet Comet. It declined to comment on the Milford Haven discussions.Greybull would probably need to partner with either a commodity trading house or a bank with trading capabilities in order to secure the funding for the deal to keep the 450 employees in place.

“They are trying to raise the money in order to keep the work force in place,” an industry source said.

A spokeswoman for Murco, the Murphy Oil subsidiary that operates the refinery, confirmed talks for the sale of the refinery were coming closer to a conclusion.

“Discussions with regard to the sale of the Murco UK business by its U.S. parent, Murphy Oil Corporation, are ongoing and are at an advanced stage,” Emma Murphy said in an email.

Retail Outlets

Murco’s 400 petrol stations across the country would also be part of the deal.

“The buyers will purchase the Murco name and the supply system which will continue to supply the Murco petrol stations,” the industry source said.

Murco also operates three storage and distribution terminals in Britain which are supplied by rail from the refinery and handle around 2 million tonnes of oil product a year, according to the company’s website.

The Welsh plant, like other British and European refineries, has struggled in recent years due to weak demand in the region and in its U.S East Coast export market, as well as growing competition from U.S., Russian and Asian plants – factors which have hammered margins.

India’s Essar Energy said last month it will shutter one third of its production capacity at Britain’s second-largest oil refinery Stanlow.Last year the Grangemouth refinery in Scotland was brought to the brink of closure following a bitter industrial dispute, after owner Ineos said it needed to slash costs to keep it viable.

This followed the closure of the Coryton plant owned by bankrupt Petroplus which closed in 2012. Greybull is led by the brothers Nathaniel and Marc Meyohas, who operate from a small office in London’s Knightsbridge. The pair try to keep a low profile but shot to fame two years ago when they were involved in the Comet scandal.

Greybull was among the backers that had bankrolled a buyout of the electricals retailer by the former banker Henry Jackson, who sparked outrage when he pulled the plug on Comet just months later, triggering thousands of job losses.

The investment company has declined to comment on their plans over the Murco site. Councillor David Pugh, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Economy, Tourism, Communities and the Voluntary Sector, said: “We have been aware for some time that Murco is in advanced discussions with a potential purchaser. We are pleased to hear that these negotiations are now nearing completion and that the future of the Refinery is looking more secure.

He added: “Our officers, together with the Welsh Government’s Energy and Environmental team, are in regular contact with Murco and the company is aware of our support for them and whoever acquires the business.”

Who is behind Greybull Capital?

behind greybull

THE OFFICES of Greybull Capital are discreetly placed in the heart of London’s upmarket Knightsbridge.

These are the offices of the company reported to be behind the proposed purchase of the Murco’s operations in the UK, including petrol stations and crucially for Pembrokeshire the refinery at Milford Haven.

Behind tinted windows, brothers Marc and Nathaniel Meyohas have been behind the financing of takeovers of well-known troubled brands and High Street names, such as Game and most famously Comet. Last year the company was involved in the rescue and restructuring of Metaltrax, a West Midlands-based manufacturer of bakeware and kitchen accessories, saving a reported 387 jobs.

Greybull was closely involved in the investor group behind OpCapita’s purchase of troubled electrical retailer Comet. The withdrawal of support by a key American investor before Christmas 2012 caused Comet to collapse with the loss of 7,000 jobs at the retailer’s stores nationwide.

Before founding Greybull Capital, Marc Meyohas was the founder and CEO of Cityscape a leading provider of digital urban networks in the UK. Nathaniel Meyohas is no stranger to the petrochemical industry, having in the past been involved in arranging a shareholder loan of $40m to multinational company Manoir Industries.

Most recently Greybull Capital have acquired the British assets of plastic bottle maker Constar for a reported $8m.

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Business

Stephen Crabb leads inquiry on retaining community bank services  

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PRESELI Pembrokeshire MP, and Chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee Stephen Crabb is leading an inquiry in Parliament that will investigate the closure of high street banks in Wales, as well as access to cash.

In November 2023, Pembrokeshire saw the closure of Lloyds Bank in St Davids, and in the coming months both Barclays Bank and Halifax in Haverfordwest are set to close. In recent years, Wales has experienced a rapid decline in the number of high street banking services available to the public. Already in 2024, 23 high street bank closures have been announced in Wales, while automated teller machines (ATMs) declined by nearly a quarter between 2018 and 2023.

The Committee willconsider how declining high street banking services are impacting vulnerable people and small businesses across Wales, who are often more reliant on cash than digital banking. It will also examine how Wales is being affected by the loss of high street bank services, and whether the problem is worse in Wales than other parts of the UK.

Mr Crabb is a staunch advocate for retaining community banking facilities, especially in rural communities like Pembrokeshire where many local branches remain the only source of face-to-face banking provision for miles.

Recently Mr Crabb challenged Barclays Bank senior management on their decision to close the bank branch in Haverfordwest– a move that will see Barclays not only pull out of the county town, but means they won’t have a branch left anywhere in Pembrokeshire. He has also engaged with LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – and continues to campaign on the basis that a Banking Hub is established and that ATM machines should be retained or installed, especially in areas worst affected by the closures.  

Following the launch of the inquiry, MP Crabb added: “It is really sad to see so many banks across Wales closing as online banking grows in popularity. Despite the advantages of online banking, for a rural community with an ageing population like Pembrokeshire, bank branches hold huge importance as they offer face-to-face customer service.”

“I am acutely aware of the inconvenience that the bank closures locally have already caused following hundreds of replies from constituents to my ‘online banking survey’ ”

“I am looking forward to gathering further evidence on this subject through the committee’s inquiry, and will continue to put pressure on the relevant stakeholders to ensure that adequate alternative provisions are made through the establishment of banking hubs as well as the instalment of ATM machines where necessary.”

“In this inquiry, we are particularly keen to hear from those likely to be directly affected by the shift away from cash and physical banks. I encourage anyone with first-hand experience of losing banking services to give evidence to the Committee”

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Business

Trains resume between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock as works end

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TRAIN services resumed this morning (Thursday 28 March) after ten days of essential round-the-clock work to upgrade track and drainage between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock.

The railway was closed from Monday 18 March to Wednesday 27 March to allow Network Rail teams to replace more than 200 metres of track and 300 tonnes of ballast (track stones) between Pembroke station and Pembroke Dock.

Work to improve the drainage between Narbeth and Kilgetty stations was also completed at the same time.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential work in Pembrokeshire demonstrates our commitment to improving the reliability of the service we provide to passengers along our route.

“We know that replacing the track can be disruptive and very noisy, so I would like to thank the residents of Pembroke for their patience while our team carried out this crucial work.”

Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales said: “We’re pleased that our colleagues in Network Rail have completed this essential work and that Transport for Wales rail services resumed today.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this work has progressed and look forward to welcoming passengers back in time for the Easter weekend.”

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News

Welsh Water has increased sewage discharges into waterways ‘by 40%’

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NEW figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Dwr Cymru discharged sewage into waterways for a staggering 23,354 hours last year, a 40% increase on 2022. 

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in Welsh waterways.

The party has also called for a halt on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Conservative MPs have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis.

The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into our nation’s rivers and waterways without consequence.

“It’s beggars’ belief that both the UK Conservative Government and the Welsh Labour government are allowing water firms to get away with this environmental vandalism.

“We as a party are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local waterways. We have also called for a halt on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways.”

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