Tag: Mossmorran

Mossmorran briefing

Briefing on the proposed closure of the Exxon Mobile Plant at Mossmorran

Brian Parkin provides background on the proposed closure of the Exxon Mobile Plant at Mossmorran

Fife Ethylene Plant, Image by Richard Webb CC BY-SA 2.0

ExxonMobil has announced plans to close the Fife Ethylene Plant (FEP) at Mossmorran in Fife in February next year. Up to 400 jobs will be lost if the closure goes ahead.

The announced closure of the gas treatment plant closure may have consequences upstream for its supply terminal at St Fergus in Northern Aberdeenshire. St Fergus is the landfall terminal for all the gas produced in the Central and Northern UK Continental Shelf fields and the recently opened North Atlantic West of Shetland fields. It also receives gas from the Western Norwegian sector.

  • Gas at St Fergus is primarily treated ‘fractioned’ to a standard acceptable for distribution through the UK National Transmission Authority network, which in turn supplies further treated gas into the National Grid.  The treatment plant at Mossmorran receives the entirety of its ‘wet’ gas from St Fergus.
  • The site and plant of Mossmorran is jointly owned and operated by Exxon/Mobil and Shell UK.
  • The wet gas at Mossmorran is divided into two separate product streams: 
  • Shell separates liquids further to produce methane vial its Fife Natural Gas Plant which is sent into the National Grid network, as well as some chemical feed-stocks for export.
  • Exxon/Mobil uses an ethylene plant to ‘fraction’ the wet gas into ethylene as a feed-stock for petro-chemicalproduction via its Fife Ethylene Plant as well as:
  • Propane, butane and other liquid gases for further treatment for fuels and also grease and other lubricants.
  • Last year Exxon/Mobil produced over 830,00 tonnes of ethylene, over 50% of which was exported to Europe and the US. Until recently Exxon/Mobil used a direct pipeline to Ineos Grangemouth plant.

Braefoot Bay is a private facility which handles almost all of the output of the two Mossmorran operations, and is presently at 85% capacity. It operates under the joint ownership of Exxon/Mobil and Shell UK and is entirely dependent on the export requirements of Mossmorran.  The port has two jetties- a deep-water jetty capable of handling 40,000- 80,000 tonne vessels, and the smaller, for 5,000- 10,000 tonne tankers.

The main tanker loading is via floating ‘roof’ tanks are continuously ‘toped-up’ from large quayside storage tanks.

At Mossmorran, there are around 90 directly employed in control rooms and plant management.  with most engineers, electrical and welders etc being subcontractors directly employed with Balfour Beatty. Virtually all Balfour Beatty workers are members of Unite. 

Mossmorran Climate Camp

A photo report by Callum from the weekend’s climate camp at Mossmorran

Photos by Callum Macleod

And another from Neil

Photos by Neil Rothnie

For more about Mossmorran check out this report of our public meeting with the Mossmorran Action Group or search the site for the several other articles we’ve published in the last two years.

Shut Down Mossmorran: Solidarity Rally

Climate Camp Scotland have been doing great work campaigning around Mossmorran and supporting the Mossmorran Action Group. This is their appeal for solidarity action on Saturday 17th October, 11am at the Scottish Parliament:

Just two weeks ago, residents near the Mossmorran Plant run by Shell and Exxon suffered under the worst flaring so far. Residents have been complaining about flares, smell and air pollution for years, without anyone recognising the injustices done to their community. Enough is enough – this Saturday at 11am, locals will protest at the secondary gate at Mossmorran. Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, we are unable to travel to Fife in support of local residents – but we will hold a solidarity rally at the Scottish Parliament to hold politicians to account over their failure to protect communities against Shell and Exxon’s environmental crimes.Shell and Exxon are the second worst polluter in Scotland after INEOS, and need to be shut down, both for their contributions to climate change and for polluting local communities, impacting those worst off the most. Stand in Solidarity with the Mossmorran Action Group, and help us shut down Exxon and Shell.

If you live in Fife, please support the protest at the Mossmorran Facility. If you’re in Edinburgh, come to the Scottish Parliament. If you’re from elsewhere, take a picture with a placard and send it to us, or tweet it at the Scottish government.

We are in a critical phase of a second Covid-19-wave. So please

  • Wear a mask
  • Maintain 2m Distancing 
  • Sanitise your hands after the protest
  • Do not attend the protest if you’re feeling unwell or showing symptoms
  • Do not leave your area for attending a protest

Action on Mossmorran

The last few days have seen a recurrence of flaring at the Mossmorran gas plant in Fife. Fumes have drifted across the Forth forcing residents in North Edinburgh to close windows. More than 700 complaints have been submitted to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency. Join the campaign calling for the stricter enforcement and protection for those living in the neighbourhood of the plant. In our view a plan for phased closure of the plant is needed as part of a just green transition. We republish here the video we held with speakers from the Mossmorran Action Group earlier this year.

Bring the flare to SEPA

Earlier in the year we held an online public meeting with speakers from the Mossmorran Action Group. Prior to Covid19 Climate Camp Scotland were planning their summer action around Mossmorran. Limitations on social contact have made the original plans impossible but Climate Camp are continuing to campaign for action on Mossmorran. On Sunday at Midday there will be protests at SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency) offices around Scotland. The action will continue via social media on Monday; for more details go to the Facebook event or read the action briefing document.

Flaring at Mossmorran

Mossmorran

Public Meeting

Friday 1st February, 7pm at Lochgelly Town Hall, Bank Street KY5 9

This is a really important meeting.  According to the Scottish Environmental ProtectionAgency (SEPA) the ExxonMobil plant at Mossmorran in Fife is the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in Scotland – only the INEOS complex at Grangemouth is a bigger polluter.  People living in the vicinity of the plant have suffered from excessive flaring and poor air quality for a long time.   The Mossmorran Action group has been campaigning for a resolution to these issues.  George Kerevan has recently written about the ways in which SEPA has failed to respond adequately to their concerns.

The plant is currently being returned to operation after a shut down in August 2019.  Flaring and pollution has been at a high level and yesterday around 170 workers walked off the site to highlight concerns over working conditions and safety.  There needs to urgent action to protect the health and safety of local residents and workers.  But in light of the climate crisis Mossmorran must also be part of a plan for a rapid phased run down of the Scottish petrochemical industry in which the workers are supported in a just transition to new sustainable jobs – part of the just transition that is so urgently needed.

Mossmorran

CC BY SA 3.0  Mossmoran petrochemical plant