Gillian Martin told the BBC’s Sunday Show that she had “questions” after SNP MSP Michelle Thomson, who represents Falkirk East, said she had been in talks with a “serious” potential buyer for the site.
Thomson’s intervention came after it was announced that owners Petroineos would close the Grangemouth oil refinery before the summer of 2025, with 400 jobs on the line.
On Saturday, a BBC headline reported that the Scottish Government had held “talks with ‘possible buyer’ for Grangemouth”.
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However, Martin – who is acting Energy Secretary while Màiri McAllan is on maternity leave – told The Sunday Show that was not the case.
Asked about the prospective buyer, she said: “We have no idea who that is.
“Obviously, Michelle’s been speaking to somebody, but the Scottish Government has not spoken to that person or that company, and I am not entirely sure if that person has spoken to Petroineos.
“We need to remember that Petroineos own the site, and if someone is interested in that site, obviously going to Petroineos would be the first thing that they should do.”
“I obviously would like to know who they are. I would like to know what their background is, and I think Petroineos obviously would like to have an understanding of who this person is as well.
“We have no information.”
Martin noted that Thomson had told press that she had signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), and said she had previously spoken to the MSP about the prospective buyer but “since then things have been fast moving”.
Thomson had said that the buyer is international, but not Russian, and would be looking to purchase the oil refinery as is with their own funding.
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Asked if the situation all sounded “a bit odd”, Martin responded: “Not necessarily, if they’ve approached the local MSP, obviously, as the first port of call that’s a decision that they have made.
“They haven’t approached the government. They haven’t to my knowledge approached Petroineos. But of course, things are fast moving, they may do so soon.”
Petroineos is a joint venture between Ineos and PetroChina. It has said the Grangemouth site “faces significant challenges due to global market pressures and the energy transition”.
A spokesperson for Petroineos said the refinery lost around 500,000 US dollars (£381,000) per day last week, and absorbed total losses of 775 million US dollars (£590 million).
“I think the decision is premature and I would encourage Petroineos to consider what options there are to prolong the life of the refinery,” he said.
Derek Thomson, Scottish secretary at Unite the union, has said that Project Willow – the work being done by the Scottish and UK governments on a potential future for the site – is “too slow”, adding: “Project Willow is about the work of tomorrow – we need work today.”