THERE is a “serious” prospective buyer for Grangemouth who would keep the site as an oil refinery, an SNP MSP has said.
Michelle Thomson, the constituency MSP for Falkirk East, said she would like to discuss the offer with John Swinney during First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.
Speaking to media afterwards, Thomson said she had signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) but was able to give some details on the prospective offer.
“I believe that there is a serious buyer who is interested in the purchase of the refinery,” she said.
Thomson said that the buyer was international – though not Russian – and would be looking to purchase the site with their own resources, rather than requiring government support.
She further said that she believed discussions had been ongoing for a while, but she had only become involved "relatively recently".
Asked what more she could tell the public, Thomson said: “The only thing I'm prepared to say at the moment, and that I've got permission to say, is that I believe, having looked at it, that it is a serious proposition.
“We shall see, but being quite clear, there's some way to travel. These things are very complex. There's lots of moving parts in terms of business plan and funding and so on.
“We'll see what happens, but I am saying this because I'm duty-bound to do everything I can for my constituents, and that is the basis on which I'm going to proceed.”
She added: "I make quite clear I am not making any promises. I am merely saying that there are options and I am duty-bound to pursue all options and that is what I'll do."
At FMQs, First Minister Swinney said he would be "very happy" to open discussions with a potential buyer.
Thomson’s intervention came just hours after Grangemouth’s current operators announced that the site would close before the summer of 2025.
Petroineos confirmed to staff at the site on Thursday that the refinery will close in the second quarter of 2025 – with it then switching to become an import-only terminal for fuels.
That could see the number of staff employed at Grangemouth drop from the current total of 475 to 75 over the next two years.
However, the SNP MSP urged caution about reports that the Scottish and UK governments have pledged a £100 million support package for the site and staff, saying they were “not accurate”.
She said: “Part of that is £80m already on the table from the [Falkirk Growth Deal], of which £50m has already been put in by the Scottish Government.
“It's extremely disingenuous to claim that as new money, or to suggest that it will be for Grangemouth. That was for the entire Falkirk district as part of the growth deal. I think the accuracy around that needs to be made clear.”
Ministers at Holyrood and Westminster also pledged immediate career support for workers, while Project Willow, which was set up and funded by the Scottish and UK governments to look at future prospects for the site, is said to have identified three credible options.
This could mean Grangemouth transitions to focus on either low carbon hydrogen, clean eFuels, or sustainable aviation fuels.
