THE company behind plans to build a new $2.4 billion refinery in Ellesmere Port has changed its name.

What was Essar Oil UK has now become EET Fuels.

The company is aiming to build the UK’s first low carbon process refinery, which will be located in Stanlow.

For a century, the refinery has provided fuel and chemical building blocks that people rely on for their everyday lives.

Under its rebrand, EET Fuels says it remains committed to sustainably meeting the energy needs of the country, changing the way its fuels are produced by significantly reducing all emissions related to the company’s production processes.

EET Fuels is investing $1.2 billion to support industrial decarbonisation, with the ambition to deliver a 95 per cent cut in carbon emissions associated with its production processes by 2030. That is two million tonnes of carbon emissions per year, or one-eighth of all of the North West’s carbon emissions.

The company's strategy will reduce refinery emissions, often seen through planned flares from the refinery, with two approaches.

The industrial carbon capture (ICC) project, announced in November 2022 and planned to be operational by 2028, aims for an annual reduction of about one million tonnes of CO2.

EET Fuels is also switching from natural gas and other refinery fuel sources to hydrogen as a fuel, resulting in an annual reduction of about one million tonnes of CO2.

Deepak Maheshwari, CEO of EET Fuels, said: “This is an exciting time for our business. We are delivering on our plan to be the world’s first low carbon process refinery and world’s first low carbon process fuel producer. It is world leading and we’re pleased that it is happening now, in the North West.”

EET Fuels is part of Essar Energy Transition ('EET'), which was launched in 2023 to drive the creation of the energy transition hub. EET plans to invest a total of US $3.6 billion in developing a range of low carbon energy transition projects over the next five years, of which US $2.4 billion will be invested across its site at Stanlow.

Prashant Ruia, chair of EET Fuels and CEO of Essar Energy Transition, added: “EET Fuels is a key part of EET, which is building Europe’s foremost integrated energy transition hub. Leading by example, Essar Energy Transition is a major catalyst for region-wide industrial decarbonisation.

"We are playing our part to ensure that the UK is delivering on its climate change goals, has enhanced energy security, and maintains a strong, secure manufacturing base for fuels.”

In addition to EET Fuels, EET also includes:

  • EET Hydrogen, which is developing 1 GW of blue hydrogen for the UK market, with follow-on capacity set to reach 3.8 GW
  • EET Future Energy, which is developing 1 GW of green ammonia in India, targeted at international markets and
  • Stanlow Terminals Ltd, which is developing enabling storage and pipeline infrastructure;
  • EET Biofuels, which is investing in developing 1 MT of low carbon biofuels.