Nicola Sturgeon, the former First Minister of Scotland, is facing scrutiny regarding her awareness of the Grangemouth oil refinery's financial difficulties, with recent revelations suggesting that she may have been informed as early as 2016. The Scottish Labour party has raised concerns that the Scottish National Party (SNP) government had prior knowledge of potential threats to the refinery's future, yet failed to take adequate measures to address them.
Documents obtained by the Scottish Daily Express indicate that Sturgeon’s initial meeting with Si Bingjun, the CEO of PetroChina International, occurred in September 2016. During this meeting, discussions revolved around “refinery investment,” though specific details from the talks remain confidential. Additionally, two other topics were addressed, but details of these discussions are deemed too sensitive for public release.
Grangemouth refinery, which has the distinction of being the oldest oil refinery in the UK — established in the 1920s — was previously managed by BP before being taken over by Ineos in the 2000s. In 2011, a joint venture involving PetroChina, a state-owned enterprise from China, acquired control of the site. Sturgeon’s meetings with both Si Bingjun and James Chwu, the commercial manager for Grangemouth Refinery, imply early government engagement in discussions about the refinery's investment needs.
An 11-page briefing document detailing these conversations has been heavily redacted. However, it reveals that the Scottish Government had ongoing discussions with PetroChina regarding investment in the refinery dating back to December 2013, with the last recorded meeting with Mr. Si on 9 February 2016.
Notably, the heavily censored briefing includes multiple annexes, with one section labelled "Refinery Investment" completely redacted, while other annexes regarding significant topics have had their headings removed. This lack of transparency has intensified debates around government accountability and the timing of awareness regarding Grangemouth's operational viability.
The unfolding controversy underscores the growing tensions within the Scottish political landscape as questions about governmental oversight and proactive measures continue to arise.
Source: Noah Wire Services