Coryton refinery to close

7:50am Tuesday 29th May 2012 in News By Gina Marden

Coryton refinery to close Coryton refinery to close

THE Coryton refinery is to close putting more than 850 people out of work.

For months desperate efforts have been made to save the refinery in Corringham.

But on Monday it was finally announced that the refinery would have to close.

Workers have already been told that they will be made redundant later this week.

Around £625million would be needed to turn the refinery around.

All production at the plant, which refines oil, has been suspended.

A spokesman for the Department of Energy and Climate Change said: "It is disappointing that PwC has been unable to find a buyer for Coryton. This is particularly bad news for the workers at Coryton.

"I want to reassure people that there will not be any impact on fuel supply from this development.

"Continuing jetty operations at Coryton means that there should be no loss of supply through the terminal to London and the South East."

Richard Howitt, Labour MEP for Essex, said he had urged the Government to intervene "before it is too late" but said his appeal had "fallen on deaf ears".

He said: "The news is unexpected from a workforce who always believed they could succeed and flies in the face of everything we have worked hard to achieve."

Edmund King, AA president, said: "The tragedy is not only the loss of a refinery and jobs in an industry which produces some of the cheapest petrol in Europe but the question mark it raises with the UK's fuel supply resilience during bad winters and industrial action.

"The UK's fuel industry is extremely adept at shifting fuel supplies around the UK, but Coryton's loss makes that task more difficult."

mfl Page 5: 16:07Phil Whitehurst, GMB national lead officer for Engineering Construction, said: "This is a devastating blow for jobs in the local economy in Essex, for the UK energy sector and for the UK economy as a whole.

"This is yet another anarchical outcome adversely impacting on the UK's basic energy infrastructure arising from financial developments with their owners which are unrelated to UK needs."

*DO YOU WORK AT CORYTON? CALL THE ECHO AND GAZETTE NEWSDESKON 01268 469308

Comments(33)

al coniston says...
3:00pm Mon 28 May 12

Desperately sad news for the 850 people who are to lose their jobs, especially with the jobs market being so bad.

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coddy says...
3:06pm Mon 28 May 12

"THURROCK’s MP has spoken of a positive future for the borough in a contribution to a debate on jobs in the House of Commons.

Addressing fellow MPs last Thursday, Jackie Doyle-Price spoke of the thousands of jobs on the horizon in Thurrock.

She added, though, that with the growth of jobs comes the need to invest in the road network.

Ms Doyle-Price said: “The simple fact is that deficit reduction and the pursuit of growth are not mutually exclusive, indeed, we lay the foundations for lasting growth when we go back to living within our means.

“Jobs and growth rely on investment by individuals and businesses, not on Government spending.”

Ms Doyle-Price added investment in Thurrock is set to provide new jobs, with the expansion of Lakeside Shopping Centre, the new London Gateway port and the expansion of Tilbury Port, which could mean a further 10,000 jobs.

Seems like its back to the drawing board for Jackie. A case of opening ones mouth and putting your foot in it. And hows comes we haven't seen Mr Metcalfe doing something

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BIRLIS says...
3:50pm Mon 28 May 12

Bad news. That's a big loss, both for the area and the individuals...

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APR says...
3:50pm Mon 28 May 12

I honestly didn't think that they would allow a refinery to close.

Especially as we have a shortage of refining capabilities.

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al coniston says...
4:00pm Mon 28 May 12

APR wrote:
I honestly didn't think that they would allow a refinery to close.

Especially as we have a shortage of refining capabilities.
yes, i think we can see where this is all heading . . . .

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Bernard 87 says...
4:07pm Mon 28 May 12

Very sad news indeed.

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frank & monty says...
4:41pm Mon 28 May 12

al coniston wrote:
APR wrote: I honestly didn't think that they would allow a refinery to close. Especially as we have a shortage of refining capabilities.
yes, i think we can see where this is all heading . . . .
Agreed.
Also this is right next to the Superport - what an ideal location!
Obviously the Govt. did not do enough to promote this and have just let it close with a whimper. Pathetic!

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wobblybob says...
5:12pm Mon 28 May 12

Well no, there isn't a shortage of refining, thats part of the problem.
The parent company that went bust said that over-capacity had lead to tight margins causing their plants to lose money.
Another refinery, on the south coast, has already said it can comfortaby cover the shortfall should Coryton close, as it is currently operating below capacity.

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The Cater Wood Creeper says...
5:24pm Mon 28 May 12

wobblybob wrote:
Well no, there isn't a shortage of refining, thats part of the problem. The parent company that went bust said that over-capacity had lead to tight margins causing their plants to lose money. Another refinery, on the south coast, has already said it can comfortaby cover the shortfall should Coryton close, as it is currently operating below capacity.
I heard from a source inside the Coryton refinery that they made a $32 million clear profit last month while continuing to refine the crude that's been arriving so it can't be a matter of not being a profitable enterprise, it's the amount of debt left by the previous owners Petroplus that seems to be the problem

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bob64 says...
5:26pm Mon 28 May 12

al coniston wrote:
APR wrote:
I honestly didn't think that they would allow a refinery to close.

Especially as we have a shortage of refining capabilities.
yes, i think we can see where this is all heading . . . .
Please enlighten

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cococo says...
5:26pm Mon 28 May 12

What a disgrace to have this refinery shutdown, it may have struggled in todays climate brought about by world downturn.So often in the oil world costs escalate and profits reduce, but i find it hard to understand how such a good modern refinery like this can be allowed to shutdown.No doubt over capacity to refine in UK will be one reason,costs and investment needed also blamed.
I feel sick for the workers and there families who i personally know, they have done a great job in difficult times for many years as i did when i worked there.
This refinery has made millions over the years and can still do so.
Come on goverment get this sorted before its to late there will be no winners in the long run letting this refinery shutdown with its strategic position.

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jolllyboy says...
5:30pm Mon 28 May 12

Time for government to put money in for growth as it did in 1946 and after. Build even if posher pre-fabs we need the housing and the work.Or else we end up being owned by other countries like our utilities are and what if they pull the plug.I am warey as germany is busy buying up.

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mikgrays says...
5:57pm Mon 28 May 12

The loss of 850 jobs is just the start,there will be a knock on effect in the transport industry,this is going to be a bitter blow to Thurrock's economy.

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The Cater Wood Creeper says...
6:03pm Mon 28 May 12

mikgrays wrote:
The loss of 850 jobs is just the start,there will be a knock on effect in the transport industry,this is going to be a bitter blow to Thurrock's economy.
was 'only' 800 jobs last week when The Echo ran a story about this refinery's fate

http://www.echo-news
.co.uk/news/local_ne
ws/basildon/9721019.
Coryton__Is_another_
deal_on_the_table_/#
commentsList

Now, it appears to be
more than 850


any chance of The Echo letting us know the true amount or having a bit of consistency in their reporting of this dreadful news?

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streetboy75 says...
7:19pm Mon 28 May 12

It's bad news, but it was not going to be saved by the gov as this would then open the flood gates for all the other companies that have gone down the pan and gov did nothing, 850 jobs is a small amount to one of the big companies laying off thousands in one go.

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rayleigh123 says...
7:45pm Mon 28 May 12

I am really sorry that people have lost their jobs, on a positive note could we not push a road from Canvey Island over to Coryton and then up Manor way to the A13.

This would also take a lot of traffic away from SADLERS FARM

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whataday says...
7:48pm Mon 28 May 12

As soon as politicians said when this first hit the news that they would do all they could to save these jobs it seemed inevitable this plant would close. Can't trust any of them.
Why is it successive governments are sending our forces to fight wars because of petrol and then letting the refineries close.

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streetboy75 says...
10:19pm Mon 28 May 12

rayleigh123 wrote:
I am really sorry that people have lost their jobs, on a positive note could we not push a road from Canvey Island over to Coryton and then up Manor way to the A13.

This would also take a lot of traffic away from SADLERS FARM
great idea, totaly agree, least the plant would not be a threat to the area now.

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Dids says...
10:52pm Mon 28 May 12

the refinery isnt a threat its more the Calor Gas plant just down the road

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APR says...
11:22pm Mon 28 May 12

wobblybob wrote:
Well no, there isn't a shortage of refining, thats part of the problem.
The parent company that went bust said that over-capacity had lead to tight margins causing their plants to lose money.
Another refinery, on the south coast, has already said it can comfortaby cover the shortfall should Coryton close, as it is currently operating below capacity.
I thought we had to import a lot of refined Diesel though, as there wasn't enough refined in the UK ?

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Seasider90 says...
12:03am Tue 29 May 12

The sad thing is that many people are going to struggle to find jobs and pay mortgages. My son has busted a gut to find work but gets an odd day here and there. Its time this country shut the doors and actually put the people living here first for jobs. Good luck to those now searching for jobs. British jobs for British workers.

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notinwestcliffanymore says...
7:32am Tue 29 May 12

Seasider90 wrote:
The sad thing is that many people are going to struggle to find jobs and pay mortgages. My son has busted a gut to find work but gets an odd day here and there. Its time this country shut the doors and actually put the people living here first for jobs. Good luck to those now searching for jobs. British jobs for British workers.
just drove past a farm field in chadwall full of people working know doubt no british there, but they were busting a gut maybe thats the difference.The work is out there, but who wants to bust a gut eh.

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Lady milly from Billericay says...
8:38am Tue 29 May 12

Lets face it the news was to be expected. whatever the MP said she was saying because she had to and not because she believed she could do anything. They try to con us with their words of concern because we demand they do. If she had been honest she would have been accused of not caring or doing her job. We demand honesty but if we get it we critise those who deliver it. The sad fact is as soon as this was announced we new that it was the end of the road. The hundreds laid off face a very difficult future not because of workers from the European Union but because of world recession brought about by the corrupt banking system and the failure of successive all governments to deal with banks and not allow them to become more powerful than the Governments themselves.

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bigboy57 says...
9:08am Tue 29 May 12

this is really sad news for the whole area what alot of people dont realise the building and mainternece of coryton in the fifties and sixties scores of buses leaving southend every day help this area build up and break away from the s**t money the likes that e k cole used topay

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streetboy75 says...
10:01am Tue 29 May 12

loads of new jobs coming at the new super port

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AndrewLemon says...
10:45am Tue 29 May 12

If interested, there is an agency called Dart Recruitment that was advertising for Plant and Process Engineers, but they weren't local. Lots of work away if you don't mind moving....

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LordSpiffSpaffingtonThe2nd says...
12:12pm Tue 29 May 12

The place shut down because the previous owners used it as a money-maker with no preperations made for its long-term running, so now nobody wants to spend millions maintaining it before it makes a profit again

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Wooosh says...
4:57pm Tue 29 May 12

What will happen to the site once it's closed? Will it just be left or is another firm moving or or demolishing it?

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bigboy57 says...
6:50pm Tue 29 May 12

streetboy75 wrote:
loads of new jobs coming at the new super port
hope your right streetboy really positive commet but im a dinasor sorry !

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A.N.Other says...
7:31am Wed 30 May 12

Let us look into the crystal ball.

1) The petrol companies will increase prices claiming a shortage of refining capacity.

2) Government won't be increasing petrol this Autumn as pump prices have jumped up so much.

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The Cater Wood Creeper says...
12:40pm Wed 30 May 12

Wooosh wrote:
What will happen to the site once it's closed? Will it just be left or is another firm moving or or demolishing it?
maybe Tony Ball and his 'in the thrall of developers' can sell it off for housing.....

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samsara says...
12:43pm Wed 30 May 12

P.S. There should be a preservation order on the domes used in Quatermass 2 - especially the one the guy staggered down (remember the hand trail?)

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snowdropwhite34 says...
10:23pm Thu 31 May 12

My partner was made redundant twice last year , he was a tanker driverbased at Coryton . Lot's of men lost their jobs due to lack of work and contract's /changing distributors.
Seem's like many more will now lose their jobs !
What next for the workers in the borough ?

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