Site

The Grangemouth Complex (before refinery closure) |
Welcome to Ineos Grangemouth Brochure (pdf document dated Apr 4, 2018). INEOS

INEOS Chemicals Grangemouth is a major integrated petrochemical manufacturing complex located in Grangemouth, Scotland, operated by INEOS Chemicals Grangemouth Limited. The site is one of INEOS's largest production facilities in Europe and the last remaining ethylene production plant in the United Kingdom.

Site History

The petrochemical operations at Grangemouth date back to 1947 when BP and the Distiller's Company Ltd formed British Hydrocarbon Chemicals Ltd to develop synthetic alcohol production processes. The first petrochemical plant was commissioned in 1951, making it the first such facility in Europe. The site's first tonne of ethylene was produced in the late 1940s, with the first polyethylene shipment occurring in 1958.

The discovery fo North Sea oil in 1975 transformed the site, with the commissioning of the Kinneil Crude Oil Stabilisation Terminal connecting directly to the Forties Pipeline System, providing reliable feedstock access. BP operated the facility until 2005, when INEOS acquired the petrochemical assets. The site has undergone continuous expansion and modernization, including a major €2 billion investment program announced in 2017 to expand ethylene capacity to over 1 million tonnes per year.

Production Capacities

Grangemouth complex integrated flows of raw materials and finished products across the O&P UK business | 
O&P UK Grangemouth - Welcome Guide (pdf document dated Sep 2, 2025). INEOS

The Grangemouth chemical complex has an annual production capacity of approximately 1.4 million tonnes of petrochemical products. Specific production units include:​

• Ethylene, Propylene: produced via steam cracking​
• Polyethylene: produced via Innovene G plant
• Polypropylene: produced via former Appryl single autoclave process
• Benzene and various petrochemical intermediates​

The site employs approximately 1,000 people in its chemical operations.

Feedstock

Historically, Grangemouth's petrochemical plants used naphtha and gas separated from crude oil processed at the adjacent refinery as primary feedstocks. Following the closure of the Grangemouth refinery in April 2025, the chemical complex has transitioned to using imported feedstocks, primarily liquefied shale gas from the United States, shipped to Scotland to supply the ethylene plant. This shift ensures continuity of operations despite the loss of domestic refinery-derived naphtha.

Recent Developments

In December 2025, INEOS announced a £150 million investment program at Grangemouth, with £120 million from the UK government and £30 million from INEOS, aimed at modernizing equipment, improving energy efficiency, and securing 500 jobs at the chemical site. This investment underscores the strategic importance of the facility as the UK's last ethylene production hub and its role in supporting domestic manufacturing supply chains.