Shell eyes end to Wesseling refinery crude processing

Shell said today it plans to stop crude refining at its 147,000 b/d Wesseling refinery in western Germany in early 2025.

Shell aims to transform Wesseling into an oil-free energy park, using new or reallocated plants, but has not made a final decision, it said.

If this comes to pass it will be the latest and largest in a growing list of European refinery closures since the pandemic weighed on fuel demand last year, including ExxonMobil's 120,000 b/d Slagen refinery in Norway, Portuguese firm Galp's 110,000 b/d Porto refinery and Finnish company Neste's 55,000 b/d Naantali refinery.

Trading firm Gunvor has stopped crude processing at its 80,000 b/d Europoort refinery in the Netherlands, although it is still running feedstock through secondary units, and has mothballed its 115,000 b/d Antwerp refinery in Belgium. Other refineries in the region that have been marked for conversion to biofuels production include TotalEnergies' 93,000 b/d Grandpuits plant near Paris.

The other part of Shell's Rheinland complex, the 187,000 b/d Godorf refinery, will continue to process crude, the company said.

By Anna Driftschroer