Essar Energy Transition posts record domestic fuel sales at Stanlow refinery in 2025

The company’s Stanlow refinery at Ellesmere Port near Liverpool processed about 8% more crude in 2025

Essar Energy Transition, the Essar Group’s UK-based refining and energy transition arm, recorded its highest-ever domestic fuel sales in 2025, driven by higher refinery throughput and a sharp increase in demand for locally produced fuels as Britain’s refining capacity shrank during the year.

The company’s Stanlow refinery at Ellesmere Port near Liverpool processed about 8% more crude in 2025 compared with the previous year, with dispatch volumes approaching historic highs, according to a statement released on January 14.

Stanlow is one of the UK’s six remaining oil refineries. Two facilities were shut during 2025, tightening fuel availability and increasing dependence on imports, a backdrop that helped boost demand for domestic supply.

Essar said its wider logistics network — including terminals at Kingsbury, Northampton, Grangemouth, Oikos and Grays — enabled it to supply fuel to rail, bus and commercial transport operators when shortages emerged in parts of the country.

The company also expanded its downstream reach. Its Essar-branded retail network increased to 58 petrol stations, while it supplies more than 100 dealer-owned forecourts across the UK. In December, it rolled out price reductions at company-leased, dealer-operated sites, which it said lifted volumes.

In aviation fuels, Essar now directly supplies 10 major UK airports, adding to growth in a segment that has seen strong recovery in passenger and cargo traffic.

Alongside higher sales, the company completed a major maintenance and upgrade programme at Stanlow, investing about $100 million as part of a wider $350 million capital expenditure plan. The work increased the refinery’s processing capacity by roughly 8% and included installation of the UK’s first hydrogen-ready furnace, a step aimed at lowering emissions and supporting future low-carbon fuel production.

Deepak Maheshwari, chief executive of EET Fuels, said the performance underscored the role of domestic refining in the UK’s energy system. He also said the company was pushing for refiners to be included under the UK’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which would impose charges on high-carbon imports.

Essar Energy Transition plans to invest around $3 billion over the next five years in low-carbon energy projects in the UK, including hydrogen and sustainable fuels, as it looks to reposition Stanlow as a hub for the country’s energy transition.