UK refinery hit by Petroplus woes
Coryton refinery in Essex - a key source of petrol in London and the South East - suspended sales yesterday and told around 1,000 staff it was unsure when supplies would start again, the Financial Times said.
The shutdown at the former BP-owned refinery - with a total capacity of 175,000 barrels of crude oil per day - comes as Petroplus, its Zurich-based owner, said talks with its lenders had broken down and it would be filing for insolvency.
Petroplus chief executive Jean-Paul Vettier said: “We are fully aware of the impact that this will have on our workforce, their families and the communities where we have operated our businesses.”