Banned Russian oil could make its way into Scotland if Grangemouth plans go ahead

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Russian oil could flood into Scotland if the Grangemouth refinery closes, it has been claimed.A sanctions loophole means diesel and jet fuel which is funding Putin’s war machine can often enter the UK legally if processed in a third country.The Sunday Mail can reveal PetroChina – the Chinese government firm which part owns Grangemouth along with billionaire Jim Ratcliffe’s Ineos – began trading Russian crude last year.And campaigners fear if Petroineos is allowed to carry out its plan of shutting down the Grangemouth refinery and turning the site into an import depot only, ii will open the door to Russian oil.Isaac Levi, of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA), said: “Due to a gaping legal loophole in the sanctions, the UK is importing refined oil made from Russian crude in non-sanctioning countries. “In one year the UK’s purchases of this oil sent over £140million in tax revenues fueling the Kremlin war chest, equivalent to almost a third of the UK’s humanitarian aid provided to Ukraine.

If UK policy makers and businesses are arguing that they need to keep buying this oil produced from Russian crude it is not only incorrect but therefore seems a strange decision to allow Scotland’s only crude oil refinery to close.” Petroineos bosses announced last year a plan to close the oil refinery at Grangemouth with the loss of hundreds of jobs and turn the site into an import terminal only.

Large quantities of oil products are already imported through the port with millions of pounds worth of goods coming from China.A Petroineos spokesman said: “We are fully compliant with all relevant sanctions.”However, the firm declined to clarify whether any Russian crude refined in third countries had been imported