Total to convert Grandpuits refinery into platform for biofuels

French oil major Total has announced that it is investing more than €500m ($583m) to convert its Grandpuits refinery in France into a zero-crude platform for biofuels and bioplastics.

The oil major noted that crude oil refining at Grandpuits would be discontinued in the first quarter (Q1) of next year and the storage of petroleum products would end by 2023.

Out of the 400 jobs at Grandpuits and its associated Gargenville depot, 250 will be maintained after the conversion.

An additional 15 jobs will be created at Grandpuits in a packaging unit connected to the bioplastics unit.

Total added that it will carry out this ‘industrial redeployment’ with no layoffs and said there would be no forced redundancies. Instead, the company will encourage early retirement and internal staff moves.

Fuel for gas stations and airports in the Greater Paris region will be supplied from other Total refineries, Reuters reported.

Total Refining & Chemicals president Bernard Pinatel said: “With the industrial repurposing of the Grandpuits refinery into a zero-crude platform focused on energies of the future connected with biomass and the circular economy, Total is demonstrating its commitment to the energy transition and reaffirming its ambition to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2050.

“Grandpuits will remain a major industrial site drawing on the know-how and expertise of its teams, and our partner firms will be playing a key role as well.”

Last month, Total and the Government of Mozambique signed a security pact in order to support the development of the $20bn Mozambique liquefied natural gas (LNG) project.