Rhône Energies, a consortium comprising Entara and Trafigura, has completed the acquisition of the Fos-sur-Mer refinery, as well as the Toulouse and Villette-de-Vienne terminals, from Esso.

The consortium will now manage the full range of operations at the Fos-sur-Mer site. This includes maintenance, asset integrity and commercial activities.

Rhône Energies CEO Nicholas Myerson said: “We are delighted that the acquisition process has been successfully finalised. We are grateful for the open and constructive discussions over the past few months with both local and national authorities and are proud to welcome the refinery’s workforce to Rhône Energies.

“With this acquisition we join an impressive industrial ecosystem in Fos-sur-Mer where we aim to build upon the strong track record of operational excellence by developing capabilities to lead the refinery through the energy transition, while maintaining our strong commitment to meeting the energy demands of the region.”

The Fos-sur-Mer refinery has a history of providing secure and affordable energy to the region since it began operations in 1965.

With a crude oil processing capacity of 140,000 barrels per day (bpd), the refinery benefits from direct access to a major port and is integral to the production of petroleum products for the French domestic market. The refinery employs approximately 310 staff members.

Rhône Energies has also entered into a long-term agreement with Esso to ensure continued supply to its downstream business in the region, demonstrating its commitment to the site's future and France's broader energy infrastructure.

The consortium entered into negotiations to acquire the refinery in April this year and signed a sales agreement in August.

The acquisition marks the consortium’s first project in France. The consortium aims to capitalise on the strong manufacturing performance of the refinery and improve process utilisation to maximise high-value products.